Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services at Housatonic Community College
CT · Associate's Degree · CIP 19.07
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services degree from Housatonic Community College earn a median salary of $42,385 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $36,761. The degree typically pays for itself in 20.3 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
$31,878
Typical Career
$42,385
Top Performers
$54,087
Estimated break-even: 20.3 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$283
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,532. 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 Connecticut buys what costs $1.15 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Retail Trade, 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
$36,761
Nominal: $42,385 in Connecticut (COL 115.3% of national avg) · 13.3% lower 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 | $29,102 | $37,592 | $47,825 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $31,878 | $42,385 | $54,087 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $35,976 | $49,431 | $62,164 |
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 $42,385 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in CT, which has a cost-of-living index of 115.3% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $42,385 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1530)
= $36,761 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries for graduates are predominantly in Health Care and Social Assistance, with 44.7% entering this sector immediately after graduation, followed by 33.0% five years later and another 33.0% at the ten-year mark. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 29.5 years, suggesting that while the degree can lead to stable employment in a growing field, the return on investment may take considerable time to materialize. This analysis highlights the importance of considering both industry opportunities and long-term financial implications when pursuing this educational path.
Compare with Another School
See how the Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services degree at Housatonic Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Explore More
Other Degrees at Housatonic Community College
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.