ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES
Is a associate's degree in Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications worth it?
Compare cost, debt and earnings across 2 college programs with reportable data.
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Positive payoff
+$106,529 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.
5.1 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
+98%Estimated return after 10 years
$66,540Observed earnings · year 4
$62,698Highest annual price before payoff reaches $0
The price benchmark is $53,265 per year below this threshold.
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.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$125,395
$9,000Current college-wide context+$107,395
$18,000Annual price+$89,395
$36,000Annual price+$53,395
$54,000Annual price+$17,395
$72,000Annual price−$18,605
$90,000Annual price−$54,605
Outcomes at a glance
$66,540Typical earnings four years after completion
$46,835Average earnings five years after completion
$8,690Typical federal student debt
82thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
Not availableDegrees awarded in 2024–25
2College programs reporting earnings
Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 0 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.
Four useful answers about Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications
How much do Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications associate's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $66,540 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 $8,690. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $46,766 to $46,766 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 3 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
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
- $60,225
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 1
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $66,540
- Federal debt
- $8,690
- Programs in the comparison
- 2
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $42,541
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 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$46,766National median$66,54075th percentile$46,766
2 programs report year‑4 earnings.BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare price, debt and earnings together
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION
Three useful places to start
Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.
2 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 2 shown
Search every reporting program →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1College of DuPage$86,3132Clark College$46,766Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
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
Higher median wage ↑
-36%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Word Processors and Typists$49,280 median wage35,010 jobs nationwide-34.4% projected growth through 2035 · 1,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$36,810–$65,150 typical wage rangeData Entry Keyers$41,340 median wage127,080 jobs nationwide-25.5% projected growth through 2035 · 7,700 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$31,200–$58,790 typical wage rangeNO MATCHUnreported jobs nationwide
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.
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.