Physical Science Technologies/Technicians at Houston Community College
TX · Associate's Degree · CIP 41.03
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Physical Science Technologies/Technicians degree from Houston Community College earn a median salary of $97,476 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $105,837. The degree typically pays for itself in 4.3 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
$57,334
Typical Career
$97,476
Top Performers
$147,002
Estimated break-even: 4.3 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$650
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $8,123. Most students can comfortably afford about a $650 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 2.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.3x 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
$105,837
Nominal: $97,476 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 | $39,953 | $57,929 | $83,415 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $57,334 | $97,476 | $147,002 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $66,303 | $106,266 | $154,108 |
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 $97,476 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)
= $97,476 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210)
= $105,837 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries for graduates are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, accounting for 34.6%, 31.4%, and 25.3% of employment, respectively. Given the estimated break-even point of around five years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree appears favorable. The combination of solid earnings growth and strong industry demand suggests that students can expect a beneficial career trajectory in this field.
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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.