Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions at Cuyahoga Community College
OH · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.15
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degree from Cuyahoga Community College earn a median salary of $42,477 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $47,144. The degree typically pays for itself in 27.9 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
$33,267
Typical Career
$42,477
Top Performers
$50,449
Estimated break-even: 27.9 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$283
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,540. Most students can comfortably afford about a $283 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 Ohio buys what costs $0.90 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services.
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
$47,144
Nominal: $42,477 in Ohio (COL 90.1% of national avg) · 11% 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 | $27,472 | $37,672 | $45,704 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $33,267 | $42,477 | $50,449 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $36,215 | $45,543 | $63,698 |
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 $42,477 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OH, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $42,477 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010)
= $47,144 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The majority of graduates enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sectors, with 51.9% in this field one year after graduation, and 44.8% and 31.7% remaining in similar roles after five and ten years, respectively. The estimated break-even point compared to a high school-only path is approximately 27.9 years, suggesting that while the return on investment may take time to materialize, the consistent demand for mental and social health services professionals supports a favorable career trajectory in a growing industry.
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See how the Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degree at Cuyahoga Community 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.