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Computer and Information Sciences, General at Howard County Junior College District

TX · Associate's Degree · CIP 11.01

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Computer and Information Sciences, General degree from Howard County Junior College District earn a median salary of $49,233 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $53,456. The degree typically pays for itself in 13.1 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

$37,302

Typical Career

$49,233

Top Performers

$67,797

Estimated break-even: 13.1 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$328

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,103. Most students can comfortably afford about a $328 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Texas 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

Health Care & Social Assistance 34.5%
Educational Services 14.5%
Public Administration 7.3%

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

$53,456

Nominal: $49,233 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% 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).

13.1 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 $26,298 $35,325 $48,258
5 Years After Graduation $37,302 $49,233 $67,797
10 Years After Graduation $43,588 $58,065 $89,177

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 $49,233 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $49,233 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $53,456 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Computer and Information Sciences from Howard County Junior College District experience a gradual increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $30,143, which rises to $38,967 after five years and reaches $58,065 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $42,309.45, indicating that while initial earnings may be modest, the long-term financial outlook is promising, especially when considering the cost of living in Texas, which has a lower cost of living index compared to the national average.

The primary industries that graduates enter are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, comprising 45.0%, 34.5%, and 18.3% of the workforce, respectively. This concentration suggests a strong demand for computer and information science skills in these sectors. The estimated break-even point for pursuing this degree versus a high school diploma is approximately 16.1 years, indicating a significant return on investment over time. Overall, while the initial financial benefits may take time to materialize, the long-term career prospects and industry demand present a compelling case for students considering this path.

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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.