ROI Major

Social Sciences, Other at Hamline University

MN · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 45.99

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Social Sciences, Other degree from Hamline University earn a median salary of $57,090 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $60,670. The degree typically pays for itself in 9.5 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

$47,973

Typical Career

$57,090

Top Performers

$66,303

Estimated break-even: 9.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$381

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,758. 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

$60,670

Nominal: $57,090 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).

9.5 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 $19,955 $28,969 $35,528
5 Years After Graduation $47,973 $57,090 $66,303
10 Years After Graduation $58,609 $77,901 $89,527

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 $57,090 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)
= $57,090 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9410) = $60,670 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Social Sciences, Other program at Hamline University experience a notable earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, median earnings stand at $28,969, which increases to $57,090 after five years and reaches $77,901 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equates to $60,669.5 nationally, reflecting a competitive position in the job market despite the cost of living index in Minnesota being slightly lower than the national average.

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 compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 9.5 years, indicating that while the return on investment may take time, the long-term financial benefits are significant. Overall, the career prospects in these sectors suggest a solid foundation for graduates, aligning with their earnings potential over time.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Social Sciences, 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.

Explore More