Environmental/Natural Resources Management at Central Lakes College
MN · Associate's Degree · CIP 03.02
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Environmental/Natural Resources Management degree from Central Lakes College earn a median salary of $55,181 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $58,641. The degree typically pays for itself in 9.7 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$34,546
Typical Career
$55,181
Top Performers
$71,298
Estimated break-even: 9.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$368
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,598. Most students can comfortably afford about a $368 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: Health Care & Social Assistance, Public Administration, Retail Trade.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$58,641
Nominal: $55,181 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).
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 | $21,843 | $32,393 | $43,216 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $34,546 | $55,181 | $71,298 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $57,248 | $75,158 | $95,590 |
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 $55,181 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)
= $55,181 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9410)
= $58,641 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that graduates enter are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, comprising 56.1%, 36.9%, and 16.6% of employment sectors respectively. Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 9.7 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree appears favorable. This suggests that graduates can expect a reasonable financial payoff over time, particularly in a growing field that emphasizes sustainability and resource management.
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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.