ROI Major

Anthropology at Hamline University

MN · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 45.02

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Anthropology degree from Hamline University earn a median salary of $44,001 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $46,760. The degree typically pays for itself in 17.3 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

$32,547

Typical Career

$44,001

Top Performers

$60,590

Estimated break-even: 17.3 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$293

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,667. Most students can comfortably afford about a $293 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x 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: Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 16.0%
Health Care & Social Assistance 14.8%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 12.6%

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

$46,760

Nominal: $44,001 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).

17.3 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 $26,574 $33,684 $46,754
5 Years After Graduation $32,547 $44,001 $60,590
10 Years After Graduation $34,840 $52,765 $67,570

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 $44,001 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)
= $44,001 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9410) = $46,760 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 Anthropology from Hamline University experience a gradual increase in earnings over time. One year post-graduation, the median earnings stand at $33,684, which rises to $44,001 after five years and reaches $52,765 a decade later. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equates to approximately $46,759.83 nationally, reflecting a competitive position relative to peers in similar fields, particularly given Minnesota's cost of living index of 0.941 compared to the national average of 1.0.

The top industries for Anthropology graduates include Educational Services (16.0%), Health Care & Social Assistance (14.8%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (12.6%). The estimated break-even point for those pursuing this degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 17.3 years, indicating a long-term return on investment. While the initial earnings may not be as high as some other fields, the steady growth in salary and diverse career opportunities suggest a viable path for students interested in Anthropology.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Anthropology degree at Hamline 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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