Accounting and Related Services at Northwest Iowa Community College
IA · Associate's Degree · CIP 52.03
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Accounting and Related Services degree from Northwest Iowa Community College earn a median salary of $39,425 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $44,198. The degree typically pays for itself in over 10 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
$30,143
Typical Career
$39,425
Top Performers
$47,802
Break-even is not clear from the available earnings data.
Debt-to-Income Check
$263
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,285. Most students can comfortably afford about a $263 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 Iowa buys what costs $0.89 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Construction.
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
$44,198
Nominal: $39,425 in Iowa (COL 89.2% of national avg) · 12.1% 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 | $25,707 | $33,113 | $42,746 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $30,143 | $39,425 | $47,802 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $29,704 | $38,050 | $46,435 |
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 $39,425 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IA, which has a cost-of-living index of 89.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $39,425 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8920)
= $44,198 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries employing graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 33.2% of placements, followed by Utilities at 20.2%. The estimated break-even point for this educational path compared to a high-school-only route exceeds ten years, suggesting a longer return on investment for students. While the program offers a pathway into stable industries, prospective students should weigh the extended time frame for financial benefits against their career goals and personal circumstances.
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Other Degrees at Northwest Iowa 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.