ROI Major

Human Resources Management and Services at Inver Hills Community College

MN · Certificate Degree · CIP 52.10

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Human Resources Management and Services degree from Inver Hills Community College earn a median salary of $67,797 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $72,048. The degree typically pays for itself in 6.4 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 graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$46,435

Typical Career

$67,797

Top Performers

$82,210

Estimated break-even: 6.4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$452

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,650. Most students can comfortably afford about a $452 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.7x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x 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: Health Care & Social Assistance, Public Administration, Manufacturing.

Where Certificate Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 24.1%
Public Administration 18.0%
Manufacturing 8.2%

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

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$72,048

Nominal: $67,797 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).

6.4 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 $42,555 $54,757 $74,301
5 Years After Graduation $46,435 $67,797 $82,210
10 Years After Graduation $54,993 $71,441 $97,751

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 $67,797 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)
= $67,797 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9410) = $72,048 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates of the Human Resources Management and Services program at Inver Hills Community College can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $54,757, increasing to $67,797 five years later, and reaching $71,441 by the ten-year mark. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $72,047.82, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive edge in terms of real income relative to the national average.

The program prepares students for diverse career opportunities, with top industries including Health Care & Social Assistance (30.7%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (28.8%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (24.1%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 6.4 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for those pursuing this educational path. Overall, the data indicates that a degree in Human Resources Management and Services offers a solid career foundation with promising financial returns.

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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.