Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations: is this associate's degree worth it?

National picture across 1 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Strong payoff

+$199,072 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.

Observed earnings clearly outpace the comparison earnings and estimated education cost in this scenario.

3.5 yrsModeled economic break-even

+188%Modeled 10-year ROI

$75,493Observed earnings · year 4

Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$75,493Median reported earnings · year 4

$76,577Average reported earnings · year 5

$16,642Median federal debt

92thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

1Reporting programs

1With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

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.

CURRENT VIEW

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $75,493
Federal debt: $16,642
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $84,342
Federal debt: $24,939
Reporting programs: 8

5 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $108,967
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 6

6 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $106,577
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 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$75,493National median$75,49375th percentile$75,493

1 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Cochise County Community College District$75,493

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

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Command and Control Center OfficersSOC 55-1015 · 5 crosswalk linksCommand and Control Center SpecialistsSOC 55-3015 · 5 crosswalk linksSpecial ForcesSOC 55-3018 · 3 crosswalk linksSpecial Forces OfficersSOC 55-1017 · 3 crosswalk linksCartographers and PhotogrammetristsSOC 17-1021 · 1 crosswalk linksDetectives and Criminal InvestigatorsSOC 33-3021 · 1 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesSOC 33-1012 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR INTELLIGENCE, COMMAND CONTROL AND INFORMATION OPERATIONS

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	Cochise County Community College DistrictAssociate's Degree	Sierra Vista, AZ	$75,493	$16,642	+188%	Strong payoff

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.