Design and Applied Arts at Manchester Community College
CT · Associate's Degree · CIP 50.04
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Design and Applied Arts degree from Manchester Community College earn a median salary of $45,014 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $39,041. The degree typically pays for itself in 14.6 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
$34,057
Typical Career
$45,014
Top Performers
$61,630
Estimated break-even: 14.6 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$300
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,751. Most students can comfortably afford about a $300 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 Connecticut buys what costs $1.15 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Finance & Insurance, Retail Trade.
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
$39,041
Nominal: $45,014 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 | $20,783 | $31,485 | $44,098 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $34,057 | $45,014 | $61,630 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $38,623 | $57,805 | $75,372 |
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 $45,014 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)
= $45,014 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1530)
= $39,041 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for graduates are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, with 32.8%, 24.6%, and 18.8% entering this sector. This concentration suggests that graduates may find stable employment opportunities in a growing field. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 14.6 years, indicating a longer return on investment for those pursuing this degree. Overall, while the program offers a solid earnings potential, students should consider the time required to recoup their educational investment.
Compare with Another School
See how the Design and Applied Arts degree at Manchester Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Explore More
Other Degrees at Manchester 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.