ROI Major

Accounting and Related Services at New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York

NY · Associate's Degree · CIP 52.03

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Accounting and Related Services degree from New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York earn a median salary of $52,593 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $39,843. The degree typically pays for itself in 10.5 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

$36,867

Typical Career

$52,593

Top Performers

$69,030

Estimated break-even: 10.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$351

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,383. Most students can comfortably afford about a $351 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, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services.

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 31.3%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 9.5%
Educational Services 7.5%

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

$39,843

Nominal: $52,593 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).

10.5 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 $24,541 $35,776 $52,926
5 Years After Graduation $36,867 $52,593 $69,030
10 Years After Graduation $51,223 $67,821 $90,965

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 $52,593 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)
= $52,593 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200) = $39,843 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates of the Accounting and Related Services program at New York City College of Technology can expect a steady increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $35,776, which rises to $52,593 five years post-graduation and reaches $67,821 after ten years. However, considering the cost of living in New York, the purchasing-power-adjusted median earnings five years after graduation equate to approximately $39,843.18, indicating that while salaries grow, the local cost of living impacts overall financial well-being.

The program prepares students for careers primarily in Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 31.3% of graduates, followed by Educational Services at 18.2%. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 10.5 years, suggesting a significant return on investment over time. Overall, while the initial earnings may be modest, the long-term financial benefits and diverse career opportunities in stable industries make this path a viable choice for students.

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See how the Accounting and Related Services degree at New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

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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.