ROI Major

Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services at University of Central Missouri

MO · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 51.31

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services degree from University of Central Missouri earn a median salary of $54,679 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MO, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $61,299. The degree typically pays for itself in 11.9 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

$42,739

Typical Career

$54,679

Top Performers

$65,804

Estimated break-even: 11.9 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$365

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,557. Most students can comfortably afford about a $365 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Missouri buys what costs $0.89 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 21.1%
Health Care & Social Assistance 18.3%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 10.5%

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

$61,299

Nominal: $54,679 in Missouri (COL 89.2% of national avg) · 12.1% 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).

11.9 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 $23,338 $30,751 $40,078
5 Years After Graduation $42,739 $54,679 $65,804
10 Years After Graduation $48,182 $60,076 $73,075

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 $54,679 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MO, which has a cost-of-living index of 89.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $54,679 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8920) = $61,299 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services from the University of Central Missouri can expect a steady earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $30,751, which increases to $54,679 after five years and reaches $60,076 by the ten-year mark. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $61,299.33, indicating that graduates may experience a favorable economic position relative to their peers in other regions.

The primary industries employing these graduates include Educational Services (21.1%), Health Care & Social Assistance (18.3%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (10.5%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 11.9 years, suggesting that while the initial investment in education may take time to recoup, the long-term benefits in terms of earnings and career opportunities in growing sectors can provide a solid return on investment.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services degree at University of Central Missouri 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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