ROI Major

Finance and Financial Management Services at Oregon State University

OR · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.08

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Finance and Financial Management Services degree from Oregon State University earn a median salary of $84,625 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OR, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $74,038. The degree typically pays for itself in 4.9 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

$63,044

Typical Career

$84,625

Top Performers

$110,297

Estimated break-even: 4.9 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$564

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $7,052. Most students can comfortably afford about a $564 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.1x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Oregon buys what costs $1.14 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 13.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance 13.1%
Educational Services 13.0%

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

$74,038

Nominal: $84,625 in Oregon (COL 114.3% of national avg) · 12.5% lower 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).

4.9 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 $42,180 $56,291 $70,208
5 Years After Graduation $63,044 $84,625 $110,297
10 Years After Graduation $81,082 $115,842 $158,220

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 $84,625 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OR, which has a cost-of-living index of 114.3% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $84,625 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1430) = $74,038 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Finance and Financial Management Services program at Oregon State University experience a significant increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $56,291, which rises to $84,625 five years post-graduation and reaches $115,842 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $74,037.62, indicating that while the cost of living in Oregon is higher (COL index of 1.143), the financial benefits of the degree remain substantial.

The program prepares graduates for diverse career opportunities, with top industries including Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (13.9%), Health Care & Social Assistance (13.1%), and Educational Services (13.0%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 4.9 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for students pursuing this degree. Overall, the combination of strong earnings potential and diverse career pathways makes this program a viable option for students considering their future in finance.

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 Oregon State 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.

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