ROI Major

Legal Professions and Studies, Other at Hamline University

MN · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 22.99

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Legal Professions and Studies, Other degree from Hamline University earn a median salary of $57,175 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $60,760. The degree typically pays for itself in 8.7 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

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

$44,012

Typical Career

$57,175

Top Performers

$75,158

Estimated break-even: 8.7 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$381

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,765. Most students can comfortably afford about a $381 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Minnesota buys what costs $0.94 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 16.0%
Health Care & Social Assistance 14.8%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 12.6%

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

$60,760

Nominal: $57,175 in Minnesota (COL 94.1% of national avg) · 6.3% 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).

8.7 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 $27,370 $37,198 $45,390
5 Years After Graduation $44,012 $57,175 $75,158
10 Years After Graduation $62,669 $83,137 $108,985

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 $57,175 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MN, which has a cost-of-living index of 94.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $57,175 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9410) = $60,760 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Legal Professions and Studies from Hamline University experience a notable earnings trajectory. One year post-graduation, median earnings stand at $37,198, which increases to $57,175 after five years and further rises to $83,137 after a decade. When considering purchasing power, the median five-year salary, adjusted for cost of living differences, is approximately $60,759.83, indicating that while initial earnings may seem modest, the long-term financial outlook is promising.

The top industries for graduates include Educational Services (16.0%), Health Care & Social Assistance (14.8%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (12.6%). The estimated break-even point for pursuing this degree versus a high school diploma is around 8.7 years, suggesting a reasonable return on investment for those committed to this educational path. Overall, while the initial earnings may not be high, the potential for increased income and diverse career opportunities supports a favorable long-term ROI.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Legal Professions and Studies, Other degree at Hamline 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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