ROI Major

Hospitality Administration/Management at State University of New York at Plattsburgh

NY · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.09

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Hospitality Administration/Management degree from State University of New York at Plattsburgh earn a median salary of $51,627 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $39,111. The degree typically pays for itself in 10.9 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

$38,788

Typical Career

$51,627

Top Performers

$70,108

Estimated break-even: 10.9 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$344

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,302. Most students can comfortably afford about a $344 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 New York buys what costs $1.32 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 21.7%
Educational Services 15.6%
Public Administration 8.7%

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

$39,111

Nominal: $51,627 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% 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).

10.9 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 $27,156 $35,729 $47,284
5 Years After Graduation $38,788 $51,627 $70,108
10 Years After Graduation $48,415 $66,051 $89,880

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 $51,627 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $51,627 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200) = $39,111 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Hospitality Administration/Management program at State University of New York at Plattsburgh experience a steady increase in earnings over time. One year post-graduation, the median earnings stand at $35,729.00, which rises to $51,627.00 after five years and reaches $66,051.00 a decade later. However, considering the cost of living in New York, which has a COL index of 1.32 compared to the national average of 1.0, the purchasing-power-adjusted five-year salary is approximately $39,111.36, indicating that graduates may face higher living expenses that could impact their financial stability.

The top industries for graduates are Health Care & Social Assistance (21.7%), Educational Services (15.6%), and Public Administration (8.7%), suggesting diverse career opportunities within the field. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 10.9 years, indicating a significant return on investment over time. While the initial financial outlook may be modest, the long-term earnings potential and industry diversity provide a compelling case for pursuing a degree in this field.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Hospitality Administration/Management degree at State University of New York at Plattsburgh 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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