ROI Major

Dance at SUNY College at Brockport

NY · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 50.03

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Dance degree from SUNY College at Brockport earn a median salary of $42,641 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $32,304. The degree typically pays for itself in 17.1 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

$30,584

Typical Career

$42,641

Top Performers

$58,758

Estimated break-even: 17.1 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$284

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,553. Most students can comfortably afford about a $284 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x 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, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 22.5%
Educational Services 22.2%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 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

$32,304

Nominal: $42,641 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).

17.1 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 $21,396 $28,431 $37,385
5 Years After Graduation $30,584 $42,641 $58,758
10 Years After Graduation $37,935 $54,993 $78,278

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 $42,641 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)
= $42,641 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200) = $32,304 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

The earnings trajectory for Dance graduates from SUNY College at Brockport shows a gradual increase over time, with median earnings of $28,431 one year after graduation, rising to $42,641 after five years, and reaching $54,993 after ten years. However, when adjusting for purchasing power, the five-year salary equates to approximately $32,303.79 nationally, indicating that while earnings grow, the cost of living in New York may impact the real value of these salaries compared to other regions.

Graduates primarily enter fields such as Health Care & Social Assistance (22.5%), Educational Services (22.2%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (8.7%). The estimated break-even point for pursuing a degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 17.1 years, suggesting a long-term investment in education. Overall, while the career path offers potential for growth, students should carefully consider the financial implications and industry opportunities available post-graduation.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Dance degree at SUNY College at Brockport 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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