Computer Programming: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 57 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff
+$33,937 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
7.7 yrsModeled economic break-even
+30%Modeled 10-year ROI
$59,646Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$59,646Median reported earnings · year 4
$58,107Average reported earnings · year 5
$17,108Median federal debt
72thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
57Reporting programs
55With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $58,693
- Federal debt
- $14,250
- Reporting programs
- 22
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $59,646
- Federal debt
- $17,108
- Reporting programs
- 57
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $78,404
- Federal debt
- $31,050
- Reporting programs
- 33
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $158,509
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 3
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $52,638
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$47,886National median$59,64675th percentile$68,046
55 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Minneapolis Community and Technical College$87,7082Cincinnati State Technical and Community College$86,9103Indian Hills Community College$86,1874Seminole State College of Florida$79,8785Missouri Southern State University$79,0236Fox Valley Technical College$77,4817Waukesha County Technical College$77,2678St Petersburg College$76,6839Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City$73,17210Lake Washington Institute of Technology$71,717Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Computer ProgrammersSOC 15-1251 · 6 crosswalk linksSoftware DevelopersSOC 15-1252 · 5 crosswalk linksSoftware Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersSOC 15-1253 · 5 crosswalk linksComputer Network Support SpecialistsSOC 15-1231 · 1 crosswalk linksComputer Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1021 · 1 crosswalk linksWeb DevelopersSOC 15-1254 · 1 crosswalk linksWeb and Digital Interface DesignersSOC 15-1255 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minneapolis Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $87,708 | $22,600 | +263% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Cincinnati State Technical and Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Cincinnati, OH | $86,910 | $12,736 | +319% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | Indian Hills Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Ottumwa, IA | $86,187 | $12,000 | +270% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | Seminole State College of FloridaAssociate's Degree | Sanford, FL | $79,878 | Not available | +223% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Missouri Southern State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Joplin, MO | $79,023 | Not available | +198% | Strong payoff |
| 6 | Fox Valley Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Appleton, WI | $77,481 | $13,812 | +188% | Strong payoff |
| 7 | Waukesha County Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Pewaukee, WI | $77,267 | Not available | +188% | Strong payoff |
| 8 | St Petersburg CollegeAssociate's Degree | St. Petersburg, FL | $76,683 | $19,500 | +241% | Strong payoff |
| 9 | Metropolitan Community College-Kansas CityAssociate's Degree | Kansas City, MO | $73,172 | $11,038 | +164% | Strong payoff |
| 10 | Lake Washington Institute of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | Kirkland, WA | $71,717 | Not available | +158% | Strong payoff |
| 11 | Columbus State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Columbus, OH | $70,830 | Not available | +142% | Strong payoff |
| 12 | New England Institute of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | East Greenwich, RI | $70,628 | $16,466 | +57% | Positive payoff |
| 13 | Kirkwood Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Cedar Rapids, IA | $70,139 | $15,737 | +130% | Strong payoff |
| 14 | Cuyahoga Community College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Cleveland, OH | $69,769 | Not available | +151% | Strong payoff |
| 15 | Henry Ford CollegeAssociate's Degree | Dearborn, MI | $68,046 | $15,138 | +152% | Strong payoff |
| 16 | Northcentral Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Wausau, WI | $67,224 | Not available | +101% | Strong payoff |
| 17 | Grand Rapids Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Grand Rapids, MI | $66,293 | $14,165 | +99% | Positive payoff |
| 18 | Community College of Rhode IslandAssociate's Degree | Warwick, RI | $65,796 | $11,000 | +102% | Strong payoff |
| 19 | Austin Community College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Austin, TX | $64,773 | $19,872 | +92% | Positive payoff |
| 20 | Baker CollegeAssociate's Degree | Owosso, MI | $64,120 | Not available | +64% | Positive payoff |
| 21 | Ranken Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Saint Louis, MO | $64,032 | $13,325 | +49% | Positive payoff |
| 22 | Valencia CollegeAssociate's Degree | Orlando, FL | $63,999 | $14,070 | +67% | Positive payoff |
| 23 | Portland Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Portland, OR | $63,566 | $24,250 | +68% | Positive payoff |
| 24 | Chippewa Valley Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Eau Claire, WI | $62,189 | $18,000 | +50% | Positive payoff |
| 25 | Community College of Allegheny CountyAssociate's Degree | Pittsburgh, PA | $61,693 | $22,203 | +42% | Positive payoff |
| 26 | Dallas CollegeAssociate's Degree | Dallas, TX | $61,663 | $21,908 | +73% | Positive payoff |
| 27 | James A. Rhodes State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Lima, OH | $60,066 | Not available | +40% | Positive payoff |
| 28 | Ozarks Technical Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Springfield, MO | $59,646 | $14,029 | +41% | Positive payoff |
| 29 | Full Sail UniversityAssociate's Degree | Winter Park, FL | $59,102 | $32,375 | -16% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Central Ohio Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Newark, OH | $56,523 | Not available | +5% | Positive payoff |
| 31 | Gwinnett Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Lawrenceville, GA | $55,806 | $6,500 | +5% | Positive payoff |
| 32 | Hillsborough CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tampa, FL | $53,358 | $18,262 | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Vincennes UniversityAssociate's Degree | Vincennes, IN | $53,224 | Not available | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | North Idaho CollegeAssociate's Degree | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $53,056 | Not available | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | ECPI UniversityAssociate's Degree | Virginia Beach, VA | $52,761 | $26,878 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Holyoke Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Holyoke, MA | $52,618 | $10,700 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | State Technical College of MissouriAssociate's Degree | Linn, MO | $50,755 | Not available | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | Santa Fe CollegeAssociate's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $49,154 | $15,100 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | Southeast Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Sioux Falls, SD | $48,859 | $14,827 | -69% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | Essex County CollegeAssociate's Degree | Newark, NJ | $48,758 | Not available | -62% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | Amarillo CollegeAssociate's Degree | Amarillo, TX | $48,409 | Not available | -66% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | San Jacinto Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Pasadena, TX | $47,886 | Not available | -75% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | Minnesota State Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fergus Falls, MN | $46,903 | Not available | -83% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | Kent State University at AshtabulaAssociate's Degree | Ashtabula, OH | $45,424 | $20,729 | -96% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | Kent State University at East LiverpoolAssociate's Degree | East Liverpool, OH | $45,424 | $20,729 | -96% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | Kent State University at TrumbullAssociate's Degree | Warren, OH | $45,424 | $20,729 | -96% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | Kent State University at TuscarawasAssociate's Degree | New Philadelphia, OH | $45,424 | $20,729 | -96% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | Kent State University at SalemAssociate's Degree | Salem, OH | $45,424 | $20,729 | -96% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | Kent State University at KentAssociate's Degree | Kent, OH | $45,424 | $20,729 | -97% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | Kent State University at GeaugaAssociate's Degree | Burton, OH | $45,424 | $20,729 | -96% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | South Puget Sound Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Olympia, WA | $44,890 | Not available | -101% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | CUNY LaGuardia Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Long Island City, NY | $43,238 | Not available | -117% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | Wayne County Community College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Detroit, MI | $42,247 | Not available | -126% | Negative payoff |
| 54 | Itawamba Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fulton, MS | $32,459 | Not available | -226% | Negative payoff |
| 55 | Gateway Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Kenosha, WI | Not available | $9,833 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $12,928 |
| 56 | Texas State Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Waco, TX | Not available | $17,750 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $13,508 |
| 57 | Pittsburgh Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | , | $43,000 | $14,499 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.