Business Operations Support and Assistant Services at Northwest College
WY · Associate's Degree · CIP 52.04
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Business Operations Support and Assistant Services degree from Northwest College earn a median salary of $33,372 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $35,845. The degree typically pays for itself in over 10 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
$24,420
Typical Career
$33,372
Top Performers
$42,776
Break-even is not clear from the available earnings data.
Debt-to-Income Check
$222
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $2,781. Most students can comfortably afford about a $222 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 0.9x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.4x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Wyoming buys what costs $0.93 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
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
$35,845
Nominal: $33,372 in Wyoming (COL 93.1% of national avg) · 7.4% 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).
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 | $21,518 | $26,659 | $32,743 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $24,420 | $33,372 | $42,776 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $29,621 | $34,840 | $45,751 |
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 $33,372 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in WY, which has a cost-of-living index of 93.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $33,372 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9310)
= $35,845 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 include Educational Services (41.7%) and Health Care & Social Assistance (23.9% and 22.9%). This concentration suggests a stable demand for skills in these sectors. However, the estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path exceeds ten years, indicating that the return on investment may be prolonged. Prospective students should weigh these factors carefully when considering their educational and career choices.
Compare with Another School
See how the Business Operations Support and Assistant Services degree at Northwest College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Ready to apply?
Start your application for Business Operations Support and Assistant Services at Northwest College.
Explore More
Other Degrees at Northwest 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.