ROI Major

Finance and Financial Management Services at Central Connecticut State University

CT · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.08

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Finance and Financial Management Services degree from Central Connecticut State University earn a median salary of $80,872 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $70,141. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.2 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$63,180

Typical Career

$80,872

Top Performers

$101,488

Estimated break-even: 5.2 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$539

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,739. Most students can comfortably afford about a $539 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Connecticut buys what costs $1.15 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Finance & Insurance.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 19.2%
Health Care & Social Assistance 15.7%
Finance & Insurance 13.1%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$70,141

Nominal: $80,872 in Connecticut (COL 115.3% of national avg) · 13.3% lower purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

5.2 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $41,025 $55,777 $72,344
5 Years After Graduation $63,180 $80,872 $101,488
10 Years After Graduation $78,529 $103,041 $140,655

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $80,872 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in CT, which has a cost-of-living index of 115.3% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $80,872 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1530) = $70,141 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates in Finance and Financial Management Services from Central Connecticut State University can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $55,777, which increases to $80,872 five years later and reaches $103,041 after ten years. However, considering the cost of living in Connecticut, which has a COL index of 1.153 compared to the national average, the purchasing-power-adjusted five-year salary is approximately $70,140.5, indicating that while earnings grow, the cost of living may impact real income.

The top industries for graduates include Educational Services (19.2%), Health Care & Social Assistance (15.7%), and Finance & Insurance (13.1%), suggesting diverse career opportunities. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 5.2 years, highlighting a reasonable return on investment for pursuing this degree. Overall, the financial outlook for graduates appears favorable, with solid earnings potential and a variety of industry options.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Finance and Financial Management Services degree at Central Connecticut State University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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