Computer Programming at Houston Community College
TX · Associate's Degree · CIP 11.02
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Computer Programming degree from Houston Community College earn a median salary of $84,025 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $91,232. The degree typically pays for itself in 5 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
$62,520
Typical Career
$84,025
Top Performers
$103,931
Estimated break-even: 5 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$560
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $7,002. Most students can comfortably afford about a $560 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 2.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.1x 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, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.
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
$91,232
Nominal: $84,025 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 | $36,322 | $56,069 | $86,835 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $62,520 | $84,025 | $103,931 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $46,435 | $79,787 | $102,529 |
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 $84,025 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)
= $84,025 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210)
= $91,232 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, with 34.6%, 31.4%, and 25.3% of graduates entering this sector at different stages. This concentration suggests a strong demand for computer programming skills within health-related fields. Considering the estimated break-even point of approximately five years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a degree in Computer Programming appears favorable, particularly in a state with a lower cost of living.
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Other Degrees at Houston 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.