Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at Northwest Iowa Community College
IA · Associate's Degree · CIP 11.10
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management degree from Northwest Iowa Community College earn a median salary of $42,800 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $47,982. The degree typically pays for itself in 16.7 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
$34,002
Typical Career
$42,800
Top Performers
$59,253
Estimated break-even: 16.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$285
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,567. Most students can comfortably afford about a $285 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x 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
$47,982
Nominal: $42,800 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 | $26,115 | $34,307 | $53,107 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $34,002 | $42,800 | $59,253 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $41,019 | $54,051 | $73,614 |
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 $42,800 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)
= $42,800 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8920)
= $47,982 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 include Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 33.2% of employment, followed closely by Utilities at 20.2%. The estimated break-even point for those pursuing this degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 16.7 years. This suggests that while the initial investment in education may take time to recoup, the long-term benefits and opportunities in growing sectors provide a favorable return on investment for graduates entering the workforce.
Compare with Another School
See how the Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management degree at Northwest Iowa Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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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.