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Business Administration and Management at Colorado State University - Global Campus

CO · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.02

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Business Administration and Management degree from Colorado State University - Global Campus earn a median salary of $91,631 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CO, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $87,185. The degree typically pays for itself in 3.7 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 graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$64,503

Typical Career

$91,631

Top Performers

$131,239

Estimated break-even: 3.7 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$611

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $7,636. Most students can comfortably afford about a $611 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.2x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Colorado buys what costs $1.05 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 15.8%
Health Care & Social Assistance 13.2%
Public Administration 11.9%

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

$87,185

Nominal: $91,631 in Colorado (COL 105.1% of national avg) · 4.9% lower 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).

3.7 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 $52,827 $74,484 $106,459
5 Years After Graduation $64,503 $91,631 $131,239
10 Years After Graduation $69,934 $101,595 $155,273

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 $91,631 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in CO, which has a cost-of-living index of 105.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $91,631 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0510) = $87,185 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 Business Administration and Management from Colorado State University - Global Campus can expect a promising earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $74,484, which increases to $91,631 after five years and reaches $101,595 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the median five-year salary is approximately $87,184.59, reflecting the competitive nature of the job market and the value of the degree in a state with a cost-of-living index of 1.051.

The top industries for graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (15.8%), Health Care & Social Assistance (13.2%), and Public Administration (11.9%). Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 3.7 years compared to a high-school-only path, pursuing this degree presents a favorable return on investment. The diverse career opportunities and solid earning potential suggest that a degree in Business Administration and Management is a strategic choice for students aiming for long-term career success.

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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.