Accounting and Related Services at Washington State Community College
OH · Associate's Degree · CIP 52.03
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Accounting and Related Services degree from Washington State Community College earn a median salary of $43,858 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $48,677. 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
$33,536
Typical Career
$43,858
Top Performers
$58,249
Estimated break-even: 18.4 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$292
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,655. Most students can comfortably afford about a $292 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Ohio buys what costs $0.90 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, 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
$48,677
Nominal: $43,858 in Ohio (COL 90.1% of national avg) · 11% 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 | $23,771 | $30,628 | $42,177 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $33,536 | $43,858 | $58,249 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $36,412 | $52,165 | $79,787 |
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 $43,858 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OH, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $43,858 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010)
= $48,677 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that graduates enter are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, with 71.3% of graduates finding employment in this sector. This trend suggests a strong demand for accounting professionals in health-related fields. However, the estimated break-even point of approximately 18.4 years compared to a high-school-only path indicates that while the degree can lead to higher earnings, the return on investment may take considerable time to realize. Overall, students should weigh the long-term benefits against the time required to recoup their educational investment.
Compare with Another School
See how the Accounting and Related Services degree at Washington State Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Ready to apply?
Start your application for Accounting and Related Services at Washington State Community College.
Explore More
Other Degrees at Washington State Community 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.