ROI Major

Finance and Financial Management Services at Loyola University Chicago

IL · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.08

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Finance and Financial Management Services degree from Loyola University Chicago earn a median salary of $94,926 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IL, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $103,405. The degree typically pays for itself in 4.3 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

$71,881

Typical Career

$94,926

Top Performers

$121,393

Estimated break-even: 4.3 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$633

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $7,911. Most students can comfortably afford about a $633 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.2x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Illinois buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 23.0%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 18.8%
Educational Services 13.6%

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

$103,405

Nominal: $94,926 in Illinois (COL 91.8% of national avg) · 8.9% 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).

4.3 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 $45,945 $61,451 $74,291
5 Years After Graduation $71,881 $94,926 $121,393
10 Years After Graduation $90,970 $127,047 $180,929

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 $94,926 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IL, which has a cost-of-living index of 91.8% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $94,926 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9180) = $103,405 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Finance and Financial Management Services from Loyola University Chicago can expect a solid earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $61,451, which increases significantly to $94,926 five years post-graduation and reaches $127,047 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $103,405.23, suggesting that graduates maintain a competitive edge in terms of real income relative to national standards.

In terms of career opportunities, graduates predominantly enter industries such as Health Care & Social Assistance (23.0%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (18.8%), and Educational Services (13.6%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is around 4.3 years, indicating a favorable return on investment for those pursuing this degree. Overall, the financial outlook for graduates appears promising, with strong potential for career advancement and financial stability.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Finance and Financial Management Services degree at Loyola University Chicago 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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