ROI Major

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies at Georgia State University

GA · 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 Georgia State University earn a median salary of $49,801 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in GA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $55,029. The degree typically pays for itself in 12.2 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

$35,892

Typical Career

$49,801

Top Performers

$60,166

Estimated break-even: 12.2 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$332

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,150. Most students can comfortably afford about a $332 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Georgia buys what costs $0.91 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 14.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance 14.0%
Educational Services 13.4%

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

$55,029

Nominal: $49,801 in Georgia (COL 90.5% of national avg) · 10.5% 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).

12.2 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 $23,482 $32,411 $42,942
5 Years After Graduation $35,892 $49,801 $60,166
10 Years After Graduation $48,761 $62,007 $79,787

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 $49,801 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in GA, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $49,801 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9050) = $55,029 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 Georgia State University can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $32,411, which increases significantly to $49,801 after five years and reaches $62,007 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $55,028.73, indicating that graduates can expect their earnings to maintain a competitive edge relative to the national average.

The primary industries that graduates enter include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (14.9%), Health Care & Social Assistance (14.0%), and Educational Services (13.4%). Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 12.2 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for this degree appears favorable. Graduates can anticipate not only a diverse range of career opportunities but also a solid financial return over time, making this degree a viable option for students interested in these fields.

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 Georgia 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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