ROI Major

Business Administration and Management at Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis

IN · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.02

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Business Administration and Management degree from Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis earn a median salary of $67,960 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $75,177. The degree typically pays for itself in 6.5 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

$50,923

Typical Career

$67,960

Top Performers

$92,733

Estimated break-even: 6.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$453

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,663. Most students can comfortably afford about a $453 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.8x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Indiana buys what costs $0.90 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 25.6%
Educational Services 12.9%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 9.8%

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

$75,177

Nominal: $67,960 in Indiana (COL 90.4% of national avg) · 10.6% 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).

6.5 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 $38,502 $51,771 $70,099
5 Years After Graduation $50,923 $67,960 $92,733
10 Years After Graduation $55,539 $87,123 $120,727

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 $67,960 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IN, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.4% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $67,960 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9040) = $75,177 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates with a degree in Business Administration and Management from Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis can expect a solid earnings trajectory. Median earnings one year after graduation stand at $51,771, increasing to $67,960 five years post-graduation, and reaching $87,123 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $75,176.99, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive edge in terms of real income relative to national averages.

The top industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (25.6%), Educational Services (12.9%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (9.8%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 6.5 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for those pursuing this degree. Overall, the combination of strong earnings potential and diverse industry opportunities makes this degree a viable option for students considering their career paths.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Business Administration and Management degree at Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis 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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