Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 3 college programs, at a typical net price.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
What Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications pays
Career outlook for Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications graduates
The job market for the occupations Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data entry keyers | 141,600 | -25.9% | $39,850 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Word processors and typists | 40,000 | -36.1% | $47,850 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications vs similar majors
How Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications stacks up against the closest fields in Computer & Information Sciences on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications Computer & Information Sciences · this major | Computer Science | Information Science/Studies | Computer and Information Sciences, General | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 16 F | 91 A | 86 A | 87 A |
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $35,996 | $112,491 | $90,493 | $85,293 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | — | $78,962 | $65,420 | $63,699 |
| ROI vs cost | -225% | +743% | +441% | +399% |
| Typical debt | — | $22,058 | $33,157 | $23,998 |
| Colleges offering it | 3 | 309 | 220 | 579 |
Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clark College Vancouver, WA | Certificate | $46,835 | — | +60% | Break-even |
| 2 | New Professions Technical Institute Miami, FL | Certificate | $30,237 | — | -391% | Poor return |
| 3 | Miller-Motte College-Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN | Certificate | $30,915 | — | -688% | Poor return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.