Industrial Production Technologies at Tidewater Community College
VA · Associate's Degree · CIP 15.06
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Industrial Production Technologies degree from Tidewater Community College earn a median salary of $67,454 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in VA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $65,809. The degree typically pays for itself in 6 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
$51,550
Typical Career
$67,454
Top Performers
$86,059
Estimated break-even: 6 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$450
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,621. Most students can comfortably afford about a $450 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.7x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Virginia buys what costs $1.03 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational 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
$65,809
Nominal: $67,454 in Virginia (COL 102.5% of national avg) · 2.4% 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 | $45,187 | $60,810 | $77,241 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $51,550 | $67,454 | $86,059 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $52,283 | $73,052 | $96,524 |
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 $67,454 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in VA, which has a cost-of-living index of 102.5% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $67,454 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0250)
= $65,809 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The program primarily prepares students for careers in the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, which accounts for a significant portion of job placements, with 24.7%, 24.6%, and 18.4% of graduates entering this field. With an estimated break-even point of approximately six years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree appears favorable. Overall, the combination of solid earnings potential and stable industry demand suggests that graduates can achieve a worthwhile career outcome.
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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.