Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions at South Plains College
TX · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.15
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degree from South Plains College earn a median salary of $45,334 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $49,223. The degree typically pays for itself in 18.4 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
$38,438
Typical Career
$45,334
Top Performers
$60,696
Estimated break-even: 18.4 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$302
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,778. Most students can comfortably afford about a $302 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Texas buys what costs $0.92 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Retail Trade.
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
$49,223
Nominal: $45,334 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% 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 | $21,368 | $28,969 | $42,371 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $38,438 | $45,334 | $60,696 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $39,884 | $52,031 | $63,874 |
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 $45,334 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $45,334 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210)
= $49,223 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The program primarily prepares graduates for careers in Health Care & Social Assistance, with 69.7% entering this field, followed by 28.1% also in Health Care & Social Assistance and 17.1% in Educational Services. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 18.4 years, indicating a significant return on investment over time. Overall, pursuing this degree can lead to stable employment opportunities and a solid financial future in essential service sectors.
Compare with Another School
See how the Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degree at South Plains College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Ready to apply?
Start your application for Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions at South Plains College.
Explore More
Other Degrees at South Plains 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.