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Computer and Information Sciences, General at Jamestown Community College

NY · Associate's Degree · CIP 11.01

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Computer and Information Sciences, General degree from Jamestown Community College earn a median salary of $52,518 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $39,786. The degree typically pays for itself in 9.9 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

$37,683

Typical Career

$52,518

Top Performers

$71,397

Estimated break-even: 9.9 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$350

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,377. Most students can comfortably afford about a $350 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in New York buys what costs $1.32 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

Health Care & Social Assistance 32.1%
Retail Trade 10.0%
Educational Services 9.7%

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

$39,786

Nominal: $52,518 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% 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).

9.9 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 $26,543 $41,202 $60,672
5 Years After Graduation $37,683 $52,518 $71,397
10 Years After Graduation $49,399 $69,154 $95,590

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 $52,518 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $52,518 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200) = $39,786 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Computer and Information Sciences program at Jamestown Community College experience a notable earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, the median earnings stand at $41,202, which increases to $52,518 five years post-graduation and reaches $69,154 after ten years. However, when adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $39,786.36, reflecting the higher cost of living in New York (COL index: 1.32). This indicates that while initial earnings are competitive, the purchasing power may be impacted by regional economic factors.

The program's graduates predominantly enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, which accounts for 32.1% of employment, followed by additional roles in the same industry at 16.8% and Public Administration at 15.9%. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 9.9 years, suggesting a significant return on investment over time. Overall, while the initial earnings may be modest relative to the cost of living, the long-term financial benefits and industry demand present a favorable outlook for graduates in this field.

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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.