Legal Support Services at Manchester Community College
CT · Associate's Degree · CIP 22.03
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Legal Support Services degree from Manchester Community College earn a median salary of $51,556 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $44,715. The degree typically pays for itself in 11.1 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
$40,825
Typical Career
$51,556
Top Performers
$66,590
Estimated break-even: 11.1 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$344
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,296. Most students can comfortably afford about a $344 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x 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
$44,715
Nominal: $51,556 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 | $31,416 | $42,691 | $57,676 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $40,825 | $51,556 | $66,590 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $44,962 | $60,196 | $77,215 |
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 $51,556 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)
= $51,556 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1530)
= $44,715 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries where graduates find employment are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, with 32.8%, 24.6%, and 18.8% of graduates entering this sector. Considering the estimated break-even point of approximately 8.3 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a degree in Legal Support Services appears favorable. This suggests that students can expect to recoup their educational investment within a reasonable timeframe while entering a stable and growing job market.
Compare with Another School
See how the Legal Support Services degree at Manchester Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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.