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Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications at Tyler Junior College

TX · Associate's Degree · CIP 11.09

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications degree from Tyler Junior College earn a median salary of $55,464 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $60,222. The degree typically pays for itself in 9.7 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

$41,308

Typical Career

$55,464

Top Performers

$67,967

Estimated break-even: 9.7 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$370

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,622. Most students can comfortably afford about a $370 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x 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

Health Care & Social Assistance 42.6%
Educational Services 12.9%
Retail Trade 7.7%

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

$60,222

Nominal: $55,464 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).

9.7 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 $29,769 $39,708 $50,901
5 Years After Graduation $41,308 $55,464 $67,967
10 Years After Graduation $54,898 $67,570 $80,729

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 $55,464 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)
= $55,464 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $60,222 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates of the Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications program at Tyler Junior College can expect a solid earnings trajectory. Median earnings one year after graduation stand at $39,708, increasing to $55,464 after five years and reaching $67,570 by the ten-year mark. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $60,221.50, indicating that graduates can maintain a competitive standard of living despite regional cost-of-living differences.

The program primarily prepares students for careers in the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, which accounts for a significant portion of graduate employment. With approximately 81.7% of graduates entering this field, the program demonstrates a strong alignment with industry demand. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is around 9.7 years, suggesting that pursuing this degree offers a favorable return on investment over time, particularly in a growing and essential industry.

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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.