Computer and Information Sciences, General at City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J. Daley College
IL · Associate's Degree · CIP 11.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Computer and Information Sciences, General degree from City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J. Daley College earn a median salary of $45,505 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IL, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $49,570. The degree typically pays for itself in 19.2 years.
Quick Insights
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
$32,639
Typical Career
$45,505
Top Performers
$63,214
Estimated break-even: 19.2 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$303
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,792. Most students can comfortably afford about a $303 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Illinois buys what costs $0.92 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Public Administration.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
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
$49,570
Nominal: $45,505 in Illinois (COL 91.8% of national avg) · 8.9% 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).
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 | $24,717 | $32,357 | $47,119 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $32,639 | $45,505 | $63,214 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $37,867 | $50,311 | $70,870 |
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 $45,505 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IL, which has a cost-of-living index of 91.8% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $45,505 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9180)
= $49,570 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The program's graduates predominantly enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sectors, with 35.7% and 30.5% of them working in these fields, alongside 24.2% in Construction. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 19.2 years, suggesting that while the return on investment may take time to materialize, the alignment with growing industries could enhance job stability and career advancement opportunities in the long run.
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See how the Computer and Information Sciences, General degree at City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J. Daley College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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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.