ROI Major

Human Resources Management and Services at Colorado State University - Global Campus

CO · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.10

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Human Resources Management and Services degree from Colorado State University - Global Campus earn a median salary of $86,219 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CO, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $82,035. The degree typically pays for itself in 4 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

$63,793

Typical Career

$86,219

Top Performers

$125,136

Estimated break-even: 4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$575

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $7,185. Most students can comfortably afford about a $575 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.1x 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 bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$82,035

Nominal: $86,219 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).

4 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 $50,655 $72,556 $104,844
5 Years After Graduation $63,793 $86,219 $125,136
10 Years After Graduation $61,630 $100,527 $140,411

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 $86,219 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)
= $86,219 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0510) = $82,035 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Human Resources Management and Services from Colorado State University - Global Campus experience a positive earnings trajectory. One year post-graduation, the median earnings stand at $72,556, which increases to $86,219 after five years and reaches $100,527 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $82,035.2, indicating that graduates can maintain a competitive standard of living despite the cost of living index in Colorado being slightly higher than the national average.

The top industries for graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (15.8%), Health Care & Social Assistance (13.2%), and Public Administration (11.9%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately four years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for pursuing this degree. Overall, the career prospects and financial benefits associated with a degree in Human Resources Management and Services appear to be robust, offering a solid foundation for long-term career growth.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Human Resources Management and Services degree at Colorado State University - Global Campus 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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