ROI Major

Gerontology at Miami University

OH · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 30.11

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Gerontology degree from Miami University earn a median salary of $57,867 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $64,225. The degree typically pays for itself in 8.5 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

$46,663

Typical Career

$57,867

Top Performers

$75,329

Estimated break-even: 8.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$386

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,822. Most students can comfortably afford about a $386 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Ohio buys what costs $0.90 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 20.1%
Educational Services 16.3%
Health Care & Social Assistance 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

$64,225

Nominal: $57,867 in Ohio (COL 90.1% of national avg) · 11% 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).

8.5 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 $27,929 $38,141 $50,539
5 Years After Graduation $46,663 $57,867 $75,329
10 Years After Graduation $61,827 $84,761 $129,123

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 $57,867 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OH, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $57,867 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010) = $64,225 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Gerontology from Miami University experience a significant earnings trajectory, with median earnings of $38,141 one year post-graduation, rising to $57,867 after five years, and reaching $84,761 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $64,225.31, indicating that graduates can expect a competitive income relative to peers in similar fields across the country, especially considering Ohio's cost of living index of 0.901 compared to the national average.

The top industries for Gerontology graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (20.1%), Educational Services (16.3%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (12.6%). With an estimated break-even point of approximately 8.5 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a degree in Gerontology appears favorable. Graduates can anticipate stable career opportunities and a solid financial outlook in sectors that are increasingly relevant as the population ages.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Gerontology degree at Miami 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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