ROI Major

Teacher Education, Specific Subject Areas at University of Massachusetts at Boston

MA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 13.13

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Teacher Education, Specific Subject Areas degree from University of Massachusetts at Boston earn a median salary of $65,762 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $44,374. The degree typically pays for itself in 7.8 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

$46,086

Typical Career

$65,762

Top Performers

$86,543

Estimated break-even: 7.8 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$438

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,480. Most students can comfortably afford about a $438 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.7x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Massachusetts buys what costs $1.48 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 34.3%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 11.5%
Educational Services 10.7%

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

$44,374

Nominal: $65,762 in Massachusetts (COL 148.2% of national avg) · 32.5% lower 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).

7.8 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 $28,846 $39,900 $50,812
5 Years After Graduation $46,086 $65,762 $86,543
10 Years After Graduation $55,307 $74,986 $103,633

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 $65,762 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MA, which has a cost-of-living index of 148.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $65,762 × (1.0 ÷ 1.4820) = $44,374 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Teacher Education, Specific Subject Areas program at the University of Massachusetts at Boston experience a notable earnings trajectory. Median earnings one year after graduation stand at $39,900, increasing to $65,762 five years post-graduation and reaching $74,986 after ten years. However, considering the cost of living in Massachusetts, which has a COL index of 1.482, the purchasing-power-adjusted five-year salary is approximately $44,373.82, indicating that while nominal earnings grow, the real value may be impacted by higher living expenses.

The top industries for graduates reveal a strong alignment with sectors that prioritize education and social services. A significant 34.3% of graduates enter Health Care & Social Assistance, followed by 11.5% in Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, and 10.7% in Educational Services. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 7.8 years, suggesting that while the investment in education may take time to pay off, the long-term benefits in terms of earnings and career opportunities in these growing industries can provide a favorable return on investment.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Teacher Education, Specific Subject Areas degree at University of Massachusetts at Boston 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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