ROI Major

Homeland Security at University of North Texas

TX · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 43.03

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Homeland Security degree from University of North Texas earn a median salary of $73,347 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $79,638. The degree typically pays for itself in 6.2 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

$54,840

Typical Career

$73,347

Top Performers

$94,447

Estimated break-even: 6.2 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$489

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,112. Most students can comfortably afford about a $489 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.9x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Texas buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Educational Services, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Finance & Insurance.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 22.6%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 11.5%
Finance & Insurance 10.1%

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

$79,638

Nominal: $73,347 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% 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).

6.2 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 $34,024 $47,119 $63,044
5 Years After Graduation $54,840 $73,347 $94,447
10 Years After Graduation $69,798 $90,782 $127,241

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 $73,347 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $73,347 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $79,638 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Homeland Security program at the University of North Texas experience a positive earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, median earnings stand at $47,119, which increases to $73,347 after five years and reaches $90,782 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $79,638.44, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive earning potential relative to national standards, especially considering Texas's lower cost of living index.

The top industries that employ these graduates include Educational Services (22.6%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (11.5%), and Finance & Insurance (10.1%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 6.2 years, suggesting that pursuing a degree in Homeland Security can yield a favorable return on investment over time. Overall, the program appears to provide solid career prospects and financial benefits in the long term.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Homeland Security degree at University of North Texas 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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