ROI Major

Finance and Financial Management Services at Southeastern Louisiana University

LA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.08

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Finance and Financial Management Services degree from Southeastern Louisiana University earn a median salary of $63,408 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in LA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $68,698. The degree typically pays for itself in 7.7 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 graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$47,255

Typical Career

$63,408

Top Performers

$84,812

Estimated break-even: 7.7 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$423

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,284. Most students can comfortably afford about a $423 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Louisiana buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 22.0%
Educational Services 20.8%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 8.2%

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

$68,698

Nominal: $63,408 in Louisiana (COL 92.3% of national avg) · 8.3% 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).

7.7 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 $31,735 $42,513 $54,620
5 Years After Graduation $47,255 $63,408 $84,812
10 Years After Graduation $57,785 $82,614 $119,554

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 $63,408 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in LA, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.3% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $63,408 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9230) = $68,698 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Finance and Financial Management Services from Southeastern Louisiana University experience a positive earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, median earnings are $42,513, which increases to $63,408 after five years and reaches $82,614 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $68,697.72, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive edge in earnings relative to the national average, despite being in a state with a cost of living index of 0.923.

The top industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (22.0%), Educational Services (20.8%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (8.2%). This diverse range of sectors suggests that graduates have various career paths available, enhancing job security and opportunities for advancement. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 7.7 years compared to a high school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree appears favorable, making it a viable option for students considering their future in finance.

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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.