ROI Major

Family and Consumer Sciences, General at Louisiana State University & Agricultural & Mechanical College

LA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 19.01

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Family and Consumer Sciences, General degree from Louisiana State University & Agricultural & Mechanical College earn a median salary of $51,106 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in LA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $55,369. The degree typically pays for itself in 13.1 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

$38,567

Typical Career

$51,106

Top Performers

$61,332

Estimated break-even: 13.1 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$341

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,259. Most students can comfortably afford about a $341 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Louisiana buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 19.3%
Educational Services 15.1%
Health Care & Social Assistance 13.4%

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

$55,369

Nominal: $51,106 in Louisiana (COL 92.3% of national avg) · 8.3% 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).

13.1 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 $23,330 $31,627 $41,775
5 Years After Graduation $38,567 $51,106 $61,332
10 Years After Graduation $43,670 $57,978 $70,870

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 $51,106 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in LA, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.3% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $51,106 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9230) = $55,369 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 Family and Consumer Sciences from Louisiana State University & Agricultural & Mechanical College experience a steady increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $31,627, which rises to $51,106 five years post-graduation and reaches $57,978 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the median five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $55,369.45, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive edge in the job market despite regional cost-of-living differences.

The top industries for graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (19.3%), Educational Services (15.1%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (13.4%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 13.1 years, suggesting a long-term return on investment. Overall, while the initial earnings may be modest, the trajectory and industry placements indicate a favorable outlook for career advancement and financial stability in the field.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Family and Consumer Sciences, General degree at Louisiana State University & Agricultural & Mechanical College 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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