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Computer and Information Sciences, General at Saint Louis Community College

MO · Associate's Degree · CIP 11.01

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Computer and Information Sciences, General degree from Saint Louis Community College earn a median salary of $61,663 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MO, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $69,129. The degree typically pays for itself in 8.2 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

$41,288

Typical Career

$61,663

Top Performers

$82,075

Estimated break-even: 8.2 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$411

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,139. Most students can comfortably afford about a $411 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Missouri buys what costs $0.89 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

Health Care & Social Assistance 30.4%
Retail Trade 8.5%
Educational Services 8.3%

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

$69,129

Nominal: $61,663 in Missouri (COL 89.2% of national avg) · 12.1% 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).

8.2 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 $31,497 $45,647 $62,500
5 Years After Graduation $41,288 $61,663 $82,075
10 Years After Graduation $47,119 $67,797 $116,180

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 $61,663 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MO, which has a cost-of-living index of 89.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $61,663 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8920) = $69,129 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates of the Computer and Information Sciences program at Saint Louis Community College can expect a positive earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, median earnings stand at $45,647, increasing to $61,663 after five years and reaching $67,797 by the ten-year mark. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of approximately $69,128.92, indicating that graduates can maintain a competitive income relative to national standards, especially considering Missouri's lower cost of living index of 0.892.

The primary industries for graduates are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, with 37.3%, 30.4%, and 16.9% of graduates entering this sector. This concentration suggests a strong demand for computer and information science professionals in health-related fields. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 8.2 years, indicating a favorable return on investment for pursuing this degree. Overall, the program appears to offer a solid career path with promising financial returns.

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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.