1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [Vermont State University](/school/vermont-state-university/) 4. / 5. Career outcomes brief Career outcomes brief Copy linkPrint brief # Vermont State University Career Outcomes & Earnings Updated September 30, 2026 [Overview](/school/vermont-state-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/vermont-state-university/cost/)Outcomes[Admissions](/school/vermont-state-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/vermont-state-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/vermont-state-university/similar/) **On this page**+ ## How much do Vermont State University graduates earn? The reported median is $56,249 four years after completion. The peer comparison uses $57,301 as its benchmark; the difference is \-$1,052 per year. The median four years after completion is $56,249 for federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, below the peer median and the model's expectation. The return pillar for Vermont State University sits at the 32nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That median lands in the 37th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $57,301, leaving the university $1,052 below that mark. Graduates earn about $4,204 less than the model expects for similar students. That earnings-beyond-expectations result sits at the 39th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $4,498. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $8,702. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $168. The earnings scenarios show a wide spread: from $41,524 on the downside to $75,510 on the upside. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. At the upper end, Construction Management graduates earn $88,301 four years after completion, from 5 degrees awarded a year. Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians follows at $84,601, and Nursing at $77,267. An estimated 23.2% 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** $56,249 **Rank for difference from expectations** 39th percentile Four-year median earnings against two benchmarks **Vermont State University reported median** $56,249 **Peer schools comparable schools · $1,052 above Vermont State University** $57,301 **Model expectation what similar students would be expected to earn · $4,204 above Vermont State University** $60,453 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 $41,524 to $75,510, around the reported median of $56,249. Compare the lower scenario with [Vermont State University borrowing and monthly payments](/school/vermont-state-university/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** $41,524 **Median · reported** $56,249 **Higher estimate** $75,510 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 Vermont State University 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). Vermont State University graduates’ reported earnings are $4,204 below that expectation, the 39th 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 Vermont State University 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.** +$4,498 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$8,702 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$4,204 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. ## Which fields at Vermont State University report the highest earnings? The five programs with published earnings data at Vermont State University span a wide range, from $51,438 to $88,301 four years after completion. The highest-earning fields are not the ones awarding the most degrees. Business Administration and Management is the largest program, with 23 degrees awarded and median earnings of $51,438. Nursing is close behind in size at 21 degrees awarded, and its graduates earn $77,267. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #297 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field, and #1 in Vermont. At the higher-earning end, Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians awards 7 degrees and reports median earnings of $84,601. Construction Management is smaller, with 5 degrees awarded, but its graduates earn $88,301. The earnings spread across these programs shows that field of study matters a great deal for outcomes at the university. At Vermont State University, Health Professions leads the degree mix at 32.3% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Business at 29.2% and Engineering Technologies at 27.1%. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 1 program nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. Nursing holds that rank at #297 within its field and #1 in Vermont, with 21 degrees awarded and completers earning $77,267 four years after completion. Business Administration and Management is the biggest program, awarding 23 degrees a year; completers earn $51,438 four years after completion. The highest-earning program is Construction Management, a smaller field with 5 degrees awarded and median earnings of $88,301. Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians is next, at 7 degrees awarded and $84,601. Highest reported four-year program earnings **Construction Management** $88,301 **Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians** $84,601 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing** $77,267 **Dental Support Services and Allied Professions** $61,991 **Business Administration, Management and Operations** $51,438 [Explore Vermont State University program cohorts and field ranks](/school/vermont-state-university/majors/#largest-cohorts) for more context. ## Further analysis Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix show a downside of $41,524, a typical outcome of $56,249, and an upside of $75,510. The spread shows the variation by field. Among the largest programs, Construction Management sits at the high end with $88,301, while Business Administration and Management is at the lower end with $51,438. The median for Vermont State University graduates four years out is $56,249, measured among 1,717 federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. That earnings level sits at the 37th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. This median reflects the institution as a whole rather than any single program. Graduates earn about $4,204 less than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) measure the difference between actual graduate pay and the model's prediction for similar students. That places the earnings gap at the 39th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix range from $41,524 to $75,510, with a typical outcome of $56,249. An estimated 23.2% 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/).