Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions at Mt. Hood Community College
OR · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.15
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degree from Mt. Hood Community College earn a median salary of $41,019 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OR, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $35,887. The degree typically pays for itself in 19 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
$31,599
Typical Career
$41,019
Top Performers
$52,202
Estimated break-even: 19 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$273
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,418. Most students can comfortably afford about a $273 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Oregon buys what costs $1.14 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, 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
$35,887
Nominal: $41,019 in Oregon (COL 114.3% of national avg) · 12.5% lower 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 | $24,567 | $32,883 | $39,448 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $31,599 | $41,019 | $52,202 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $39,196 | $52,071 | $65,458 |
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 $41,019 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OR, which has a cost-of-living index of 114.3% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $41,019 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1430)
= $35,887 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that graduates enter are predominantly in Health Care & Social Assistance, accounting for 38.5% and 34.7% of employment, followed by Manufacturing at 30.7%. Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 19 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree is significant. Graduates can expect stable employment opportunities and a solid income growth trajectory, making this a viable career path for those interested in the mental and social health fields.
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Other Degrees at Mt. Hood 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.