1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [Dalton State College](/school/dalton-state-college/) 4. / 5. Career outcomes brief Career outcomes brief Copy linkPrint brief # Dalton State College Career Outcomes & Earnings Updated September 30, 2026 [Overview](/school/dalton-state-college/)[Cost & aid](/school/dalton-state-college/cost/)Outcomes[Admissions](/school/dalton-state-college/admissions/)[Majors](/school/dalton-state-college/majors/) **On this page**+ ## How much do Dalton State College graduates earn? The reported median is $52,160 four years after completion. The peer comparison uses $57,301 as its benchmark; the difference is \-$5,141 per year. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $52,160, in the 24th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That is $5,141 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $3,977 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 68th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $5,388. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $1,411. Azimuth places the return pillar at the 37th percentile. The earnings scenarios show a spread: from $44,861 on the downside to $74,782 on the upside. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. At the higher end, Nursing graduates earn $84,253 four years after completion, from 27 degrees awarded a year. Accounting follows at $66,902, with 25 degrees awarded. The largest program, Teacher Education, sits lower at $45,604. An estimated 31.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix rather than observed enrollment. Because four-year earnings cover completers who are working and not enrolled, those continuing their education are outside that earnings snapshot. **Median earnings · four years after completion** $52,160 **Rank for difference from expectations** 68th percentile Four-year median earnings against two benchmarks **Dalton State College reported median** $52,160 **Peer schools comparable schools · $5,141 above Dalton State College** $57,301 **Model expectation what similar students would be expected to earn · $3,977 below Dalton State College** $48,183 School and program earnings use pooled 2017–18 and 2018–19 completion cohorts, measured in 2022 and 2023 and expressed in 2024 dollars. [How the model works](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). ## How could earnings differ from the median? The planning scenarios range from $44,861 to $74,782, around the reported median of $52,160. Compare the lower scenario with [Dalton State College borrowing and monthly payments](/school/dalton-state-college/cost/) to see how a smaller income could change your plan. Modeled from the school’s program mix; not salary percentiles or a forecast for one graduate. Earnings four years after completion Planning rangeReported median **Lower estimate** $44,861 **Median · reported** $52,160 **Higher estimate** $74,782 Downside shows a lower-earning scenario based on the college’s mix of programs; upside shows a higher-earning scenario. Typical is the school’s reported median four years after completion. These are planning scenarios, not a forecast of your salary or percentiles of individual graduates. [Why the downside matters](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) explores the risk hidden by medians, using older ten-year entrant data. [Read about the move to four-year earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). ## Do Dalton State College graduates earn more than expected? Azimuth models what we would expect graduates to earn based on who the college enrolls, how selective it is and its local economy. The difference between that expectation and reported earnings is what Azimuth calls [value added](/methodology/#value-added). Dalton State College graduates’ reported earnings are $3,977 above that expectation, the 68th percentile for this measure. Unlike a peer comparison, it adjusts for who enrolls. The breakdown separates the contribution attributed to observed factors from the remaining difference. Neither component establishes how much attending Dalton State College caused a student to earn. [Read how expected earnings are estimated](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$5,388 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$1,411 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$3,977 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. ## Which fields at Dalton State College report the highest earnings? The largest programs at Dalton State College span a wide earnings range, with the highest-paid field awarding far fewer degrees than the most popular one. Teacher Education is the largest program, with 91 degrees awarded and median earnings of $45,604 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #145 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Business Administration and Management awards 85 degrees and its graduates earn $60,331, placing it #240 nationally. Nursing is the highest-earning program among the largest five, at $84,253, with 27 degrees awarded and a national rank of #246. The program list at Dalton State College is anchored by Business, which accounts for 30.7% of bachelor's degrees awarded, and Education, at 18.4%. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 6 of the university's programs nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. Teacher Education is the largest single program, with 91 degrees awarded a year. Azimuth ranks it #145 within its field, and graduates earn a median of $45,604 four years after completion. The highest earnings come from a smaller program. Nursing, ranked #246 within its field, has median earnings of $84,253 among 27 degrees awarded. Business Administration and Management, ranked #240 within its field and the second-largest program at 85 degrees, shows median earnings of $60,331. Highest reported four-year program earnings **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing** $84,253 **Accounting and Related Services** $66,902 **Marketing** $64,649 **Management Information Systems and Services** $63,224 **Business Administration, Management and Operations** $60,331 **Criminal Justice and Corrections** $48,341 **Social Work** $47,420 **History** $47,243 [Explore Dalton State College program cohorts and field ranks](/school/dalton-state-college/majors/#largest-cohorts) for more context. ## Further analysis Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix show a downside of $44,861, a typical outcome of $52,160, and an upside of $74,782. The spread reflects variation by field: Nursing graduates earn $84,253 four years out, while Teacher Education, the largest program, stands at $45,604. At Dalton State College, the median earnings four years after finishing is $52,160 among 771 federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. That median lands at the 24th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Compared with the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size), that salary is $5,141 below. Graduates earn about $3,977 more than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places that figure in the 68th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix range from $44,861 on the downside to $74,782 on the upside, with $52,160 as the typical outcome. An estimated 31.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).