Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 2 reporting college programs.
10-year estimate · 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.
The estimate clears the cost within ten years, though your price and time to finish may change the result.
5.1 yrsModeled economic break-even
+98%Modeled 10-year ROI
$66,540Observed earnings · year 4
$62,698Maximum annual price for positive 10-year payoff
The price benchmark is $53,265 per year below this threshold.
Includes direct price and earnings forgone while studying. Assumes $45,000 in alternative annual earnings and no wage growth. How we calculate itFour 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.
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
Observed national outcomes
$66,540Median reported earnings · year 4
$46,835Average reported earnings · year 5
$8,690Median federal debt
82thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
Not availableIPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
2With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 0 matched college records and is not extrapolated to colleges without a match.
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
- $60,225
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $66,540
- Federal debt
- $8,690
- Reporting programs
- 2
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $42,541
- 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$46,766National median$66,54075th percentile$46,766
2 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
Put the same degree side by side.
Start with the leading reportable programs, then change the selection to match your shortlist.
Compare 2 programs →Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Narrow one field and credential by location, sector and debt, then compare two to four programs side by side.
2 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →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
Related occupations, wages and demand
Official CIP–SOC links show where this field can lead. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same occupation.
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 U.S. jobs · SOC 43-9022-34.4% projected employment, 2025–35 · 1.9k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$36,810–$65,150 10th–90th percentileData Entry Keyers$41,340 median wage127,080 U.S. jobs · SOC 43-9021-25.5% projected employment, 2025–35 · 7.7k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$31,200–$58,790 10th–90th percentileNO MATCHUnreported U.S. jobs · SOC 99-9999
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 employment projections. Career context is separate from graduate outcomes.
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 | College of DuPageAssociate's Degree | Glen Ellyn, IL | $86,313 | $8,690 | +294% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Clark CollegeAssociate's Degree | Vancouver, WA | $46,766 | Not available | -84% | Negative 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.