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General Sales at Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $45,947/yr (-16% vs median)

AI Risk High (44% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (499,600 openings/yr)

ROI 2.8x earnings multiple

Ranked #22 of 26 General Sales programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to General Sales graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$654K	$638K	$579K
Earnings Multiple	2.9x	2.8x	2.5x
Probability of Field Employment	49%	44%	35%
DegreeOutlook Score	55	54	51

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)

$228,064

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$118,776

48% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$23,625

6.2 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$73,239

59% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $45,947 place Rochester Institute of Technology below the $54,790 national median for General Sales — worth weighing against tuition and cost of living.

The financial case is thin at 2.8x — decade earnings barely exceed the cost of attendance. The value proposition here is driven by factors beyond pure ROI.

Some AI exposure exists in General Sales's typical career paths, with 44% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 11% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $23,625 represents roughly 6 months of the $45,947 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #22 of 26 General Sales programs, Rochester Institute of Technology falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $73,239 show a 59% jump from the $45,947 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester Institute of Technology accepts 71% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, enrolling 13,225 students in Rochester, NY. After financial aid, the average student pays $118,776 over four years — 48% below sticker price.

See all programs and financial aid at Rochester Institute of Technology →

Top Career Paths

Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products $100,070/yr

Business teachers, postsecondary $97,270/yr

First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers $84,130/yr

View all 11 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

General Sales at Other Schools

Other Majors at Rochester Institute of Technology

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for General Sales at Rochester Institute of Technology?

This program scores 54/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of General Sales programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.

Will AI replace General Sales careers?

With 44% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $579,030 in decade earnings vs $654,269 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Can you still earn well with General Sales from Rochester Institute of Technology?

First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →