Electrical and Power Transmission Installers at Western Dakota Technical College
SD · Associate's Degree · CIP 46.03
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Electrical and Power Transmission Installers degree from Western Dakota Technical College earn a median salary of $47,412 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in SD, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $50,546. The degree typically pays for itself in 17.1 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
$39,960
Typical Career
$47,412
Top Performers
$58,680
Estimated break-even: 17.1 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$316
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,951. Most students can comfortably afford about a $316 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 South Dakota buys what costs $0.94 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Public Administration.
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
$50,546
Nominal: $47,412 in South Dakota (COL 93.8% of national avg) · 6.6% 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 | $30,406 | $37,926 | $52,221 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $39,960 | $47,412 | $58,680 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $40,439 | $50,477 | $65,788 |
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 $47,412 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in SD, which has a cost-of-living index of 93.8% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $47,412 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9380)
= $50,546 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for graduates predominantly include Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 52.0% of employment, followed by another segment in Health Care & Social Assistance at 18.0%, and Retail Trade at 15.5%. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 17.1 years. This suggests that while the program offers a favorable return on investment, students should be prepared for a longer-term commitment to realize the full financial benefits of their education.
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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.