Location: Nampa, ID•In-State Tuition: $3,336•Out-of-State Tuition: $7,344
Median Earnings (1yr)
$33,165
65th percentile
60th percentile in Idaho
Median Debt
$9,631
46% below national median
D/E Ratio: 0.29 ManageableSample: 21 graduates Limited data

Analysis

Among Idaho's handful of software programs, College of Western Idaho's associate degree lands squarely in the middle at the 60th percentile—but that middle is actually quite attractive. Graduates here start at $33,165 with just $9,631 in debt, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29 that's far healthier than the typical software associate program nationally (which averages over $17,000 in debt).

The caveat matters: with fewer than 30 graduates in the data, these numbers could shift significantly year to year. That said, the pattern looks promising—earning $4,000 above the national median while carrying roughly half the debt suggests this community college program delivers solid training without the financial burden many associate programs impose. For families in southwestern Idaho looking at tech careers, this represents a relatively low-risk entry point into software work.

The small sample size means you should talk to current students and recent graduates to verify whether these outcomes reflect a consistent pattern. But the fundamentals—moderate earnings with minimal debt—point to a program that helps students access tech jobs without creating financial stress in those critical early career years.

Where College of Western Idaho Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all computer software and media applications associates's programs nationally

College of Western IdahoOther computer software and media applications programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Earnings Distribution

How College of Western Idaho graduates compare to all programs nationally

College of Western Idaho earns $33k — 65th percentile among computer software and media applications associates programs.

Compare to Similar Programs Nationally

Computer Software and Media Applications associates's programs at top institutions nationally

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
College of Western IdahoNampa$3,336$33,165—$9,6310.29
Madison Area Technical CollegeMadison$4,780$65,191—$16,6400.26
Dunwoody College of TechnologyMinneapolis$25,659$52,264$68,062$20,0000.38
Minneapolis Community and Technical CollegeMinneapolis$6,128$38,262$48,999——
Portland Community CollegePortland$5,040$37,572$41,639$23,5700.63
Harrisburg Area Community CollegeHarrisburg$7,373$35,284—$17,5000.50
National Median—$29,081—$17,9370.62

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with computer software and media applications graduates

Computer and Information Systems Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming.

$171,200/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.

$140,910/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Software Developers

Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.

$131,450/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Database Administrators

Administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases. Identify, investigate, and resolve database performance issues, database capacity, and database scalability. May plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Database Architects

Design strategies for enterprise databases, data warehouse systems, and multidimensional networks. Set standards for database operations, programming, query processes, and security. Model, design, and construct large relational databases or data warehouses. Create and optimize data models for warehouse infrastructure and workflow. Integrate new systems with existing warehouse structure and refine system performance and functionality.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Data Warehousing Specialists

Design, model, or implement corporate data warehousing activities. Program and configure warehouses of database information and provide support to warehouse users.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Intelligence Analysts

Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Data Managers

Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Special Effects Artists and Animators

Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.

$99,800/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer Programmers

Create, modify, and test the code and scripts that allow computer applications to run. Work from specifications drawn up by software and web developers or other individuals. May develop and write computer programs to store, locate, and retrieve specific documents, data, and information.

$98,670/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Web Developers

Develop and implement websites, web applications, application databases, and interactive web interfaces. Evaluate code to ensure that it is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers and devices. Optimize website performance, scalability, and server-side code and processes. May develop website infrastructure and integrate websites with other computer applications.

$95,380/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At College of Western Idaho, approximately 23% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Sample Size: Based on 21 graduates with reported earnings and 19 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.