ROI Major

Ground Transportation at Central Wyoming College

WY · Certificate Degree · CIP 49.02

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Ground Transportation degree from Central Wyoming College earn a median salary of $42,660 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $45,822. The degree typically pays for itself in 110.4 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$31,416

Typical Career

$42,660

Top Performers

$65,986

Estimated break-even: 110.4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$284

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,555. Most students can comfortably afford about a $284 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Wyoming buys what costs $0.93 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Educational Services.

Where Certificate Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 16.5%
Retail Trade 14.7%
Educational Services 13.9%

Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$45,822

Nominal: $42,660 in Wyoming (COL 93.1% of national avg) · 7.4% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

110.4 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $21,648 $29,807 $43,047
5 Years After Graduation $31,416 $42,660 $65,986
10 Years After Graduation $31,066 $40,342 $59,848

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $42,660 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in WY, which has a cost-of-living index of 93.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $42,660 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9310) = $45,822 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Ground Transportation program at Central Wyoming College experience a notable earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, median earnings stand at $29,807, which increases to $42,660 five years post-graduation. However, by the ten-year mark, median earnings slightly decline to $40,342. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $45,821.7, indicating that graduates may face challenges in maintaining their earnings relative to the cost of living over time.

The top industries for graduates predominantly include Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 27.5% of placements, followed by Educational Services at 15.3%. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 110.4 years, suggesting a long-term return on investment may be limited. Overall, while the program offers entry into stable industries, potential students should carefully consider the financial implications and long-term earnings potential.

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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.