Culinary Arts and Related Services at Pikes Peak State College
CO · Associate's Degree · CIP 12.05
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Culinary Arts and Related Services degree from Pikes Peak State College earn a median salary of $36,956 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CO, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $35,163. The degree typically pays for itself in 31.5 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
$26,948
Typical Career
$36,956
Top Performers
$51,078
Estimated break-even: 31.5 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$246
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,080. Most students can comfortably afford about a $246 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x 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
$35,163
Nominal: $36,956 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 | $21,970 | $29,153 | $35,834 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $26,948 | $36,956 | $51,078 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $30,764 | $46,435 | $60,738 |
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 $36,956 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)
= $36,956 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0510)
= $35,163 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The majority of graduates enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with 35.2%, 34.9%, and 22.9% of graduates finding employment in this field. While the program offers a pathway into a growing industry, the estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path exceeds ten years. This extended timeframe suggests that the return on investment may be limited for some students, warranting careful consideration of career goals and financial expectations before pursuing this educational path.
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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.