Gender Studies Degree in Brownsville, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Gender Studies degree analysis for Brownsville, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$42K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$46K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.6 yrs
in Brownsville
Cost of Living
83
index (100 = avg)
Gender Studies in Brownsville, TX Overview
Brownsville, Texas (pop. 186,738) has 7 colleges offering Gender Studies programs. The local cost of living index of 83 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $868/month. Although national enrollment in Gender Studies has been declining, graduates with skills in Critical Theory and Research Methods remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in Brownsville is approximately $41,500.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$8,416/yr
Private Tuition
$32,593/yr
Room & Board
$12,079/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,908/yr
Unemployment
6.5%
Graduation Rate
46%
Gender Studies Salary in Brownsville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Brownsville's cost of living index of 83 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Gender Studies salary: $50,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Brownsville adjustment factor: 0.83x based on the local cost of living index.
Gender Studies ROI Calculator for Brownsville
Estimate your return on investment for a Gender Studies degree using local Brownsville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,416 | Private avg: $32,593
Brownsville avg aid: $12,908/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$81,980
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$12,450
vs HS diploma in Brownsville
ROI Payback Period
6.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Brownsville
$25,920
Lifetime earnings premium ($107,900) minus total education cost ($81,980)
Student Loan Payoff for Gender Studies in Brownsville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Brownsville for Gender Studies
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
public
$8,416/yr
$33,664 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Texas Southmost College
$2,604/yr
Top Employers for Gender Studies in Brownsville
Brownsville offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Gender Studies graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Brownsville Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Gender Studies Job Titles
Gender Studies in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$58K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$60K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Dallas, TX
$52K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Austin, TX
$54K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$51K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$47K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Arlington, TX
$47K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$41K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Brownsville
Chinese Studies
$46K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$42K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$37K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$42K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$35K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$37K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$37K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$42K starting · 8 yr ROI
Gender Studies Degree in Brownsville — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Gender Studies ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Brownsville.