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ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES

Is a associate's degree in Computer Software and Media Applications worth it?

Compare cost, debt and earnings across 46 college programs with reportable data.

Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff

−$186,831 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.

Not availableTime to earn back the modeled cost
−155%Estimated return after 10 years
$38,361Observed earnings · year 4
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your decision

What do you need to compare?

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$38,361 observed annual earnings · 2 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is the average college-wide net-price context across reporting institutions. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Outcomes at a glance

$38,361Typical earnings four years after completion
$38,792Average earnings five years after completion
$17,937Typical federal student debt
18thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
Not availableDegrees awarded in 2024–25
46College programs reporting earnings

Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 1 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.

A PRACTICAL READ

Four useful answers about Computer Software and Media Applications

How much do Computer Software and Media Applications associate's degree graduates earn?

The national median is $38,361 four years after completion across reportable associate's degree programs in this federal field.

How much federal debt do graduates have?

The median reported federal debt is $17,937. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.

Does the college matter for Computer Software and Media Applications?

Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $37,444 to $44,256 in observed year-4 earnings.

What careers are related to Computer Software and Media Applications?

DegreeVerdict links this field to 12 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.

COMPARE DEGREE LEVELS

More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.

Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings
$40,090
Federal debt
$11,606
Programs in the comparison
21
16 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$38,361
Federal debt
$17,937
Programs in the comparison
46
46 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$51,596
Federal debt
$27,000
Programs in the comparison
72
67 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings
$82,592
Federal debt
Not available
Programs in the comparison
1
1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$119,840
Federal debt
Not available
Programs in the comparison
26
26 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings
$104,433
Federal debt
Not available
Programs in the comparison
1
1 report earnings →
COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

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$37,444National median$38,36175th percentile$44,256
46 programs report year‑4 earnings.
BEFORE YOU CHOOSE

Compare price, debt and earnings together

$44,25675th-percentile year-4 earnings among reporting programs
$17,937Median federal debt across programs that report it
4Programs with earnings in the top quarter and debt at or below the median
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION

Three useful places to start

Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.

Highest observed earnings

Madison Area Technical College

$80,056 four years after completionMadison, WI · inspect the full program →Lowest reported federal debt

CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College

$6,214 among completer borrowersNew York, NY · inspect the full program →Largest recent graduating class

Valencia College

76 reported awards in 2024–25Orlando, FL · inspect the full program →
PRICE × EARNINGS MAP

Where colleges sit for this exact degree

Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.

$68,249Observed year-4 earnings$38,361
$3,815Annual college-wide average net price$33,744
All reporting colleges Lower-price, higher-earnings quadrantAxes trim the outer 5% for readability; outliers remain pinned to the chart edge. Price is institution-wide context, not exact program tuition.
Build your shortlist

Choose colleges offering this exact degree

Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.

30 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 25 shown
Search every reporting program →
WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Madison Area Technical College$80,0562Dunwoody College of Technology$73,6913Minneapolis Community and Technical College$68,2494Ivy Tech Community College$63,9535Portland Community College$63,1836Academy of Art University$60,7317Lorain County Community College$53,9848College of Western Idaho$51,5849Palm Beach State College$48,98810Lakeshore Technical College$47,111

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

Career outlook

Jobs this degree may lead to

Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.

Pay and projected demand

Related careers do not share one outlook

Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection

Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.

Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$63,820 median wage114,110 jobs nationwide-0.3% projected growth through 2035 · 8,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$41,960–$108,620 typical wage rangeData Scientists$120,230 median wage262,440 jobs nationwide+34.6% projected growth through 2035 · 24,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$67,240–$199,130 typical wage rangeSpecial Effects Artists and Animators$102,030 median wage19,970 jobs nationwide-0.3% projected growth through 2035 · 4,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$58,600–$177,110 typical wage rangeComputer Programmers$100,390 median wage92,230 jobs nationwide-7.3% projected growth through 2035 · 4,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$57,710–$160,460 typical wage rangeGraphic Designers$62,960 median wage197,830 jobs nationwide-1.7% projected growth through 2035 · 16,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$39,520–$104,910 typical wage rangeComputer and Information Systems Managers$175,140 median wage670,570 jobs nationwide+15.8% projected growth through 2035 · 53,500 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$107,550–$297,510 typical wage rangeComputer and Information Research Scientists$140,300 median wage37,200 jobs nationwide+21.8% projected growth through 2035 · 2,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Master's degree$82,200–$230,630 typical wage rangeDatabase Architects$139,500 median wage67,140 jobs nationwide+9.4% projected growth through 2035 · 3,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$86,240–$204,000 typical wage rangeSoftware Developers$135,980 median wage1,687,890 jobs nationwide+10.2% projected growth through 2035 · 95,300 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$82,460–$214,670 typical wage rangeDatabase Administrators$104,620 median wage69,990 jobs nationwide-0.1% projected growth through 2035 · 3,300 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$60,230–$163,320 typical wage rangeWeb and Digital Interface Designers$104,000 median wage113,330 jobs nationwide+6.0% projected growth through 2035 · 8,300 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$53,750–$201,550 typical wage rangeComputer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$96,980 median wage35,480 jobs nationwide+4.9% projected growth through 2035 · 3,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$49,460–$170,200 typical wage range

BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.

COMPARE NEARBY FIELDS

Similar degrees in the same subject family

These alternatives share the same broad federal CIP family and credential level. Earnings and debt use the same definitions as this page.

Associate's Degree

Computer and Information Sciences, General

Year-4 earnings
$54,238
Federal debt
$14,440
142 reporting programs →Associate's Degree

Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management

Year-4 earnings
$56,486
Federal debt
$21,480
135 reporting programs →Associate's Degree

Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications

Year-4 earnings
$55,935
Federal debt
$21,874
103 reporting programs →Associate's Degree

Computer Programming

Year-4 earnings
$59,646
Federal debt
$17,108
57 reporting programs →
EXPLORE BY STATE

Where this degree has enough data to compare

State pages are published only when at least five operating colleges report year-4 earnings for this exact field and credential.

FL7 programs$42,870 average earnings

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.