Computer Software and Media Applications: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 46 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · 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.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
—Modeled economic break-even
−155%Modeled 10-year ROI
$38,361Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$38,361Median reported earnings · year 4
$38,792Average reported earnings · year 5
$17,937Median federal debt
18thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
46Reporting programs
46With 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
- $40,090
- Federal debt
- $11,606
- Reporting programs
- 21
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $38,361
- Federal debt
- $17,937
- Reporting programs
- 46
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $51,596
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Reporting programs
- 72
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $82,592
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $119,840
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 26
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $104,433
- 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$37,444National median$38,36175th percentile$44,256
46 programs report year‑4 earnings.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$47,111Observed 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.
Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1194 · 3 crosswalk linksComputer ProgrammersSOC 15-1251 · 2 crosswalk linksData ScientistsSOC 15-2051 · 2 crosswalk linksGraphic DesignersSOC 27-1024 · 2 crosswalk linksSpecial Effects Artists and AnimatorsSOC 27-1014 · 2 crosswalk linksComputer Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1021 · 1 crosswalk linksComputer and Information Research ScientistsSOC 15-1221 · 1 crosswalk linksComputer and Information Systems ManagersSOC 11-3021 · 1 crosswalk linksDatabase AdministratorsSOC 15-1242 · 1 crosswalk linksDatabase ArchitectsSOC 15-1243 · 1 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 1 crosswalk linksSoftware DevelopersSOC 15-1252 · 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 | Madison Area Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Madison, WI | $80,056 | $16,640 | +196% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Dunwoody College of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $73,691 | $20,000 | +99% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Minneapolis Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $68,249 | Not available | +98% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | Ivy Tech Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Indianapolis, IN | $63,953 | Not available | +81% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | Portland Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Portland, OR | $63,183 | $23,570 | +64% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | Academy of Art UniversityAssociate's Degree | San Francisco, CA | $60,731 | $34,000 | -8% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Lorain County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Elyria, OH | $53,984 | Not available | -8% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | College of Western IdahoAssociate's Degree | Nampa, ID | $51,584 | $9,631 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Palm Beach State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Lake Worth, FL | $48,988 | Not available | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Lakeshore Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Cleveland, WI | $47,111 | Not available | -81% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Valencia CollegeAssociate's Degree | Orlando, FL | $46,230 | $16,751 | -89% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Texas State Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Waco, TX | $45,721 | Not available | -94% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Harrisburg Area Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Harrisburg, PA | $44,256 | $17,500 | -106% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Indian River State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fort Pierce, FL | $43,997 | Not available | -110% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | New York, NY | $43,531 | $6,214 | -115% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Hudson Valley Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Troy, NY | $41,976 | $9,926 | -128% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Polk State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Winter Haven, FL | $41,443 | Not available | -133% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Santa Fe CollegeAssociate's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $40,794 | Not available | -137% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | St Petersburg CollegeAssociate's Degree | St. Petersburg, FL | $40,278 | $21,799 | -151% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Northeast Wisconsin Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Green Bay, WI | $39,598 | Not available | -149% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | DeVry University-ArizonaAssociate's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $38,361 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 22 | DeVry University-CaliforniaAssociate's Degree | Ontario, CA | $38,361 | Not available | -142% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | DeVry University-FloridaAssociate's Degree | Orlando, FL | $38,361 | Not available | -145% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | DeVry University-GeorgiaAssociate's Degree | Decatur, GA | $38,361 | Not available | -145% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | DeVry University-IllinoisAssociate's Degree | Lisle, IL | $38,361 | Not available | -144% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | DeVry University-New JerseyAssociate's Degree | Iselin, NJ | $38,361 | Not available | -146% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | DeVry University-OhioAssociate's Degree | Columbus, OH | $38,361 | Not available | -147% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | DeVry University-TexasAssociate's Degree | Irving, TX | $38,361 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 29 | DeVry University-VirginiaAssociate's Degree | Arlington, VA | $38,361 | Not available | -141% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Quinsigamond Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Worcester, MA | $37,814 | $18,500 | -166% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | Southwest Wisconsin Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fennimore, WI | $37,444 | Not available | -165% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Luzerne County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Nanticoke, PA | $36,875 | Not available | -175% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | CUNY LaGuardia Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Long Island City, NY | $36,393 | Not available | -184% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | Rasmussen University-MinnesotaAssociate's Degree | St. Cloud, MN | $35,671 | Not available | -174% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | Stark State CollegeAssociate's Degree | North Canton, OH | $34,518 | $6,881 | -203% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Sullivan UniversityAssociate's Degree | Louisville, KY | $34,009 | $27,797 | -178% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | Rowan College of South Jersey-Cumberland CampusAssociate's Degree | Vineland, NJ | $33,043 | Not available | -208% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester CampusAssociate's Degree | Sewell, NJ | $33,043 | Not available | -204% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | Southern Arkansas University TechAssociate's Degree | Camden, AR | $25,174 | Not available | -284% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | DeVry University-ColoradoAssociate's Degree | , | $38,361 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 41 | DeVry University-MissouriAssociate's Degree | , | $38,361 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 42 | DeVry University-PennsylvaniaAssociate's Degree | , | $38,361 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 43 | DeVry University-TennesseeAssociate's Degree | , | $38,361 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 44 | Pittsburgh Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | , | $36,207 | $18,374 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 45 | The Art Institute of AtlantaAssociate's Degree | , | $31,464 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 46 | The Art Institute of Virginia BeachAssociate's Degree | , | $31,464 | Not available | 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.