ROI Major

Industrial Production Technologies at East Carolina University

NC · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 15.06

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Industrial Production Technologies degree from East Carolina University earn a median salary of $79,312 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NC, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $81,096. The degree typically pays for itself in 4.9 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

$59,815

Typical Career

$79,312

Top Performers

$104,893

Estimated break-even: 4.9 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$529

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,609. Most students can comfortably afford about a $529 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in North Carolina buys what costs $0.98 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 20.7%
Educational Services 19.6%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 9.3%

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

$81,096

Nominal: $79,312 in North Carolina (COL 97.8% of national avg) · 2.2% higher 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).

4.9 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 $44,875 $62,507 $85,664
5 Years After Graduation $59,815 $79,312 $104,893
10 Years After Graduation $66,567 $93,359 $123,668

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 $79,312 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NC, which has a cost-of-living index of 97.8% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $79,312 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9780) = $81,096 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates of the Industrial Production Technologies program at East Carolina University can expect a solid earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $62,507, increasing to $79,312 five years later, and reaching $93,359 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equates to approximately $81,096.11 nationally, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive edge in the job market despite regional cost-of-living differences, as North Carolina's cost-of-living index is slightly lower than the national average.

The program's graduates predominantly enter sectors such as Health Care & Social Assistance (20.7%), Educational Services (19.6%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (9.3%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 4.9 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment. Overall, the combination of strong earning potential and diverse industry opportunities positions this degree as a viable option for students seeking a career in industrial production technologies.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Industrial Production Technologies degree at East Carolina 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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