Gender Studies Degree in Cary, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Gender Studies degree analysis for Cary, NC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$54K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$60K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6 yrs
in Cary
Cost of Living
108.5
index (100 = avg)
Gender Studies in Cary, NC Overview
Cary, North Carolina (pop. 174,721) has 7 colleges offering Gender Studies programs. The local cost of living index of 108.5 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,335/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 Cary is approximately $54,250.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$9,200/yr
Private Tuition
$34,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,364/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,896/yr
Unemployment
4.1%
Graduation Rate
53%
Gender Studies Salary in Cary (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Cary's cost of living index of 108.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Gender Studies salary: $50,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Cary adjustment factor: 1.08x based on the local cost of living index.
Gender Studies ROI Calculator for Cary
Estimate your return on investment for a Gender Studies degree using local Cary tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,200 | Private avg: $34,000
Cary avg aid: $8,896/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$98,256
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,275
vs HS diploma in Cary
ROI Payback Period
6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Cary
$42,794
Lifetime earnings premium ($141,050) minus total education cost ($98,256)
Student Loan Payoff for Gender Studies in Cary
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Cary for Gender Studies
Cary State University
public
$8,460/yr
$33,840 total
University of Cary
public
$9,070/yr
$36,280 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Cary Community College
$5,719/yr
Top Employers for Gender Studies in Cary
Cary offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Gender Studies graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Cary Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Gender Studies Job Titles
Gender Studies in Nearby North Carolina Cities
Charlotte, NC
$45K starting · COL 89
39 colleges
Raleigh, NC
$42K starting · COL 83
21 colleges
Greensboro, NC
$46K starting · COL 91
17 colleges
Durham, NC
$55K starting · COL 109
25 colleges
Winston-Salem, NC
$53K starting · COL 106
26 colleges
Fayetteville, NC
$45K starting · COL 90
15 colleges
Wilmington, NC
$48K starting · COL 95
5 colleges
High Point, NC
$42K starting · COL 84.5
5 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Cary
Chinese Studies
$60K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$54K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$48K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$54K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$46K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$48K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$54K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$46K starting · 5 yr ROI
Gender Studies Degree in Cary — 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 Cary.