Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection at Pikes Peak State College
CO · Associate's Degree · CIP 46.04
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection degree from Pikes Peak State College earn a median salary of $58,920 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CO, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $56,061. The degree typically pays for itself in 8 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
$49,627
Typical Career
$58,920
Top Performers
$68,626
Estimated break-even: 8 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$393
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,910. Most students can comfortably afford about a $393 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Colorado buys what costs $1.05 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Public Administration, 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
$56,061
Nominal: $58,920 in Colorado (COL 105.1% of national avg) · 4.9% 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 | $34,252 | $46,532 | $60,696 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $49,627 | $58,920 | $68,626 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $57,867 | $79,787 | $107,201 |
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 $58,920 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in CO, which has a cost-of-living index of 105.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $58,920 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0510)
= $56,061 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
Graduates predominantly enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sectors, with 35.2%, 34.9%, and 22.9% of graduates finding employment in this field. This concentration suggests a strong alignment between the program and the demands of the health care industry. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 10.9 years compared to a high school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree appears favorable, particularly given the stable demand for skilled professionals in these industries.
Compare with Another School
See how the Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection degree at Pikes Peak State College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Ready to apply?
Start your application for Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection at Pikes Peak State College.
Explore More
Other Degrees at Pikes Peak State 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.