ROI Major

Business Administration and Management at Temple College

TX · Associate's Degree · CIP 52.02

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Business Administration and Management degree from Temple College earn a median salary of $45,140 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $49,012. The degree typically pays for itself in 15.1 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

$33,263

Typical Career

$45,140

Top Performers

$60,815

Estimated break-even: 15.1 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$301

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,762. Most students can comfortably afford about a $301 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Texas buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 42.0%
Educational Services 12.8%
Retail Trade 6.7%

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

$49,012

Nominal: $45,140 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% 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).

15.1 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 $29,393 $38,130 $52,846
5 Years After Graduation $33,263 $45,140 $60,815
10 Years After Graduation $41,244 $54,679 $74,586

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 $45,140 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $45,140 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $49,012 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Business Administration and Management program at Temple College can expect a steady increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year after graduation are $36,073, which rise to $40,793 five years later and reach $48,372 after ten years. When considering purchasing power, the adjusted five-year salary is approximately $44,292.07, reflecting the cost of living in Texas, which has a COL index of 0.921 compared to the national average of 1.0. This indicates that while earnings grow, the purchasing power may not keep pace with national trends.

The majority of graduates find employment in the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, which accounts for 66.0% of job placements. This trend continues with significant representation in the same field at 56.2% and 42.0% in subsequent years. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 23 years, suggesting a long-term return on investment. Overall, while the initial earnings may be modest, the trajectory and industry demand indicate a viable career path for those pursuing this degree.

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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.