Graduate earnings are in line with similar institutions.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
ULM graduates demonstrate consistent earnings growth from $40,430 six years after enrollment to $46,769 at ten years, representing 15.7% income growth over the four-year period. Early career earnings at six years position graduates modestly below national averages, while ten-year outcomes show continued upward progression though remaining below peer medians.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings fall below the peer average for similar institutions.
Financial justification for the investment.
Healthy debt burden. Most graduates can manage $21,500 in debt with typical earnings.
ULM graduates maintain median debt levels of $21,500, which falls $395 below the peer median of $21,105, indicating successful debt management relative to similar institutions. Debt distribution ranges from $5,500 at the 25th percentile to $22,500 at the 75th percentile, showing that one-quarter of graduates complete their degrees with minimal borrowing while three-quarters graduate with debt below $22,500.
University of Louisiana at Monroe achieves typical return performance, ranking at the 50.3rd percentile nationally with around the national average outcomes. The university generates $1,806 in earnings beyond expectations per graduate, placing it at the 63.1st percentile for value-added performance, indicating effectiveness in supporting student outcomes beyond demographic predictions.
Approximately 26.0% of ULM graduates continue to graduate or professional study, based on high-confidence program mix analysis. This continuation rat...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Clinical and Industrial Drug Development drives exceptional outcomes with graduates earning $129,775, ranking #3 nationally and representing 6.4% of graduates. Adult Health Nurse/Nursing produces strong returns at $69,355 for 10.2% of graduates, while Computer Science generates $59,124 for 3.2% of students.
Traditional liberal arts programs including Psychology ($37,310) and Communication Studies ($36,995) serve larger student populations but produce more modest financial returns. The program diversity creates multiple pathways for career preparation, though earnings potential varies dramatically based on field selection.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Earnings distribution spans from $29,939 at the 25th percentile to $68,912 at the 75th percentile, creating a 2.3:1 ratio that reflects meaningful program diversity. Low-income graduates earn $40,400, ranking in the top 50 nationally for this outcome and demonstrating ULM's effectiveness in supporting economic mobility.
