ROI Major

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana

IN · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.15

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degree from Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana earn a median salary of $38,800 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $42,920. The degree typically pays for itself in 27 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

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

$28,665

Typical Career

$38,800

Top Performers

$48,153

Estimated break-even: 27 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$259

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,233. Most students can comfortably afford about a $259 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Indiana buys what costs $0.90 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Construction, Manufacturing.

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 34.1%
Construction 9.6%
Manufacturing 7.9%

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

$42,920

Nominal: $38,800 in Indiana (COL 90.4% of national avg) · 10.6% 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).

27 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

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 $22,509 $30,889 $40,848
5 Years After Graduation $28,665 $38,800 $48,153
10 Years After Graduation $38,705 $47,549 $58,835

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 $38,800 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IN, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.4% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $38,800 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9040) = $42,920 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates in Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions from Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana can expect a steady earnings trajectory. Median earnings one year after graduation are $30,889, which increase to $38,800 after five years and reach $47,549 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $42,920.35, indicating that while initial earnings may be modest, there is potential for significant growth over time.

The majority of graduates enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with 45.5% in their first job, 34.1% after five years, and 24.9% after ten years. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 27 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for this educational path may be considered reasonable, especially given the stability and demand within the health care industry. However, prospective students should weigh these factors against their personal career goals and financial circumstances.

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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.