Health Professions and Related Programs — CIP 51.39 at Hennepin Technical College
MN · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.39
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Health Professions and Related Programs — CIP 51.39 degree from Hennepin Technical College earn a median salary of $56,498 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $60,040. The degree typically pays for itself in 9 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
$45,855
Typical Career
$56,498
Top Performers
$72,701
Estimated break-even: 9 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$377
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,708. Most students can comfortably afford about a $377 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Minnesota buys what costs $0.94 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
$60,040
Nominal: $56,498 in Minnesota (COL 94.1% of national avg) · 6.3% 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 | $33,224 | $42,394 | $51,461 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $45,855 | $56,498 | $72,701 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $52,889 | $72,348 | $96,019 |
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 $56,498 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MN, which has a cost-of-living index of 94.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $56,498 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9410)
= $60,040 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The predominant industries for graduates are concentrated in Health Care & Social Assistance, with 27.5%, 27.2%, and 22.5% of graduates entering this sector. This concentration suggests a strong alignment between the program and employment opportunities in the health field. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 9.3 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this program appears favorable, particularly given the stability and growth potential within the health care sector.
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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.