ROI Major

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

MN · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 05.02

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies degree from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities earn a median salary of $53,229 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $56,566. The degree typically pays for itself in 10 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

$41,818

Typical Career

$53,229

Top Performers

$66,498

Estimated break-even: 10 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$355

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,436. Most students can comfortably afford about a $355 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 Minnesota buys what costs $0.94 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 18.1%
Health Care & Social Assistance 14.7%
Educational Services 12.9%

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

$56,566

Nominal: $53,229 in Minnesota (COL 94.1% of national avg) · 6.3% 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).

10 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 $26,421 $36,847 $48,633
5 Years After Graduation $41,818 $53,229 $66,498
10 Years After Graduation $50,975 $70,347 $88,036

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 $53,229 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MN, which has a cost-of-living index of 94.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $53,229 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9410) = $56,566 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates with a degree in Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities experience a steady earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $36,847, which increases to $53,229 after five years and reaches $70,347 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns more closely with a national equivalent of $56,566.42, indicating that while initial earnings may be modest, the long-term financial outlook improves significantly.

The top industries for graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (18.1%), Health Care & Social Assistance (14.7%), and Educational Services (12.9%). Given the estimated break-even point of approximately ten years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for this degree can be considered favorable for those committed to the field. The diverse career options and the potential for growth in earnings suggest that graduates can find meaningful and financially rewarding opportunities in various sectors.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies degree at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities 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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