How much do Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications associate's degree graduates from Western Dakota Technical College earn?

The reported median is $59,696 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $20,049.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 9% above the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications associate's degree at Western Dakota Technical College

Rapid City, SD · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to similar programs.

$4,725 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 33.6% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: $28,480 / year
Modeled 10-year payoff: +27% · Positive payoff
Available price data: College-wide context only

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+$56,960

$8,000Annual price+$40,960

$13,000Current college-wide context+$30,960

$16,000Annual price+$24,960

$24,000Annual price+$8,960

$32,000Annual price−$7,040

$40,000Annual price−$23,040

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

Not availableEarnings growth, year 1 → 5$40,418 → Not available

Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

Not availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

Not availableYear-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

22Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential

NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

51Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

32Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

37Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,067Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$59,696$23,629 above the preliminary benchmark

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$12,670

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$20,049

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$59,696

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$213/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE PROGRAM REPORTS

2 related offerings reported to the Department of Labor

These provider-reported records add named prices, completion and employment context where available. They describe a separate workforce-program cohort and may include non-degree training, so they are not blended into the College Scorecard earnings or DegreeVerdict ROI.

Certificate of Completion · CIP 11.0901

Computer Science // Information Technology | Diploma | Hybrid (33 credit hours)

Reported price: $12,906
Completion: 61.0%
Employed in Q2: Not reported
Q2 quarterly earnings: Not available

This is a hybrid or blended program providing both in-person and online instruction.

Associate of Applied Science · CIP 11.0901

Computer Science // Information Technology | AAS | Hybrid (66 credit hours)

Reported price: $27,940
Completion: 40.0%
Employed in Q2: 8.0%
Q2 quarterly earnings: $3,175

This is a hybrid or blended program providing both in-person and online instruction.

Program year 2022. Quarterly earnings are not annual salary. Suppressed values appear as “Not reported.” Source: U.S. Department of Labor TrainingProviderResults.gov. Showing 2 of 2 related records.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

Enter my price →

AVERAGE NET PRICE$12,670Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$18,845Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATENot availableInstitution context

COMPLETION RATE54.2%Institution-wide completion rate

WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$40,418Year 1

$59,696Year 4

Not availableYear 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.3% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$4,975

Estimated loan payment$213

22borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$59,696 vs. $54,971

$4,725 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median

WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.

Computer Network Architects$153,390 median wageSD estimate · 420 jobs · 15-1241$116,770–$199,420 middle 50% of SD wages+7.7% projected U.S. growth · 9,600 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeComputer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$75,540 median wageSD estimate · 150 jobs · 25-1021$61,380–$88,910 middle 50% of SD wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeComputer Network Support Specialists$53,650 median wageSD estimate · 480 jobs · 15-1231$46,680–$62,900 middle 50% of SD wages+1.2% projected U.S. growth · 9,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degreeComputer and Information Systems Managers$162,240 median wageSD estimate · 380 jobs · 11-3021$140,390–$195,840 middle 50% of SD wages+15.8% projected U.S. growth · 53,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeComputer and Information Research Scientists$140,300 median wageU.S. estimate · 37,200 jobs · 15-1221+21.8% projected U.S. growth · 2,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeDatabase Architects$136,540 median wageSD estimate · 40 jobs · 15-1243$109,470–$138,820 middle 50% of SD wages+9.4% projected U.S. growth · 3,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeInformation Security Analysts$116,640 median wageSD estimate · 770 jobs · 15-1212$89,810–$161,700 middle 50% of SD wages+21.0% projected U.S. growth · 14,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeComputer Systems Analysts$99,790 median wageSD estimate · 1,110 jobs · 15-1211$78,790–$134,520 middle 50% of SD wages+7.9% projected U.S. growth · 32,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSoftware Developers$96,310 median wageSD estimate · 2,380 jobs · 15-1252$79,810–$121,190 middle 50% of SD wages+10.2% projected U.S. growth · 95,300 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeComputer Programmers$58,240 median wageSD estimate · 70 jobs · 15-1251$55,200–$70,850 middle 50% of SD wages-7.3% projected U.S. growth · 4,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNO MATCHNot available median wageU.S. estimate · Unreported jobs · 99-9999

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