ROI Major

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies at Bowling Green State University

OH · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 05.02

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies degree from Bowling Green State University earn a median salary of $37,198 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $41,285. The degree typically pays for itself in 16.7 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

$28,227

Typical Career

$37,198

Top Performers

$57,991

Estimated break-even: 16.7 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$248

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,100. Most students can comfortably afford about a $248 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Ohio buys what costs $0.90 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 23.3%
Health Care & Social Assistance 16.2%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 9.3%

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

$41,285

Nominal: $37,198 in Ohio (COL 90.1% of national avg) · 11% 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).

16.7 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 $19,460 $28,276 $33,632
5 Years After Graduation $28,227 $37,198 $57,991
10 Years After Graduation $46,435 $58,150 $77,146

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 $37,198 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OH, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $37,198 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010) = $41,285 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 Bowling Green State University experience a gradual increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year post-graduation stand at $28,276, rising to $37,198 after five years, and reaching $58,150 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns more closely with a national equivalent of $41,285.24, indicating that while initial earnings may be modest, there is potential for significant financial growth over the long term.

The primary industries that graduates enter include Educational Services (23.3%), Health Care & Social Assistance (16.2%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (9.3%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 16.7 years, suggesting a long-term return on investment. While the initial financial outlook may not be as robust as other fields, the steady growth in earnings and diverse career opportunities indicate a favorable trajectory for those pursuing this degree.

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 Bowling Green State University 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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