Audiovisual Communications Technologies at Iowa Western Community College
Council Bluffs, IA · Public · Associate Degree · Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
TradeSchoolWorth Score (Base Case)
39
Strong Growth
34
Base Case
27
Conservative
Earnings
$24,428/yr (10% vs median)
AI-Proof
Moderate (50% shielded)
Job Market
Medium (20,800 openings/yr)
Future-Proof Earnings
Three scenarios modeling future earnings based on technology adoption rates and job market trends for Audiovisual Communications Technologies graduates.
| Strong Growth Full Stability |
Base Case Moderate Changes |
Conservative Max Disruption |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $499K | $282K | $175K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 36.8x | 20.8x | 12.9x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 36.0x | 20.3x | 12.6x |
| Viable Career Paths | 8 of 8 | 8 of 8 | 7 of 8 |
| TradeSchoolWorth Score | 39 | 34 | 27 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as technology and market conditions evolve over time.
Program Tuition (In-State)
$13,560
Out-of-state: $13,860
Median Debt at Graduation
$11,000
5.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$42,920
76% growth from Year 1
Career Paths
Where Audiovisual Communications Technologies graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 20,800 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI-Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Film and video editors | $70,980 | 3,600 | +4.0% | 47% |
| Camera operators, television, video, and film | $68,810 | 2,900 | +1.2% | 58% |
| Court reporters and simultaneous captioners | $67,310 | 1,700 | -0.3% | 4% |
| Sound engineering technicians | $66,430 | 1,200 | -1.7% | 57% |
| Lighting technicians | $60,560 | 800 | -4.6% | 84% |
| Audio and video technicians | $54,830 | 7,300 | +3.3% | 56% |
| Broadcast technicians | $53,920 | 1,800 | -2.8% | 48% |
| Disc jockeys, except radio | N/A | 1,500 | +3.8% | 47% |
Compare & Explore
Audiovisual Communications Technologies Overview
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the TradeSchoolWorth Score for Audiovisual Communications Technologies at Iowa Western Community College?
This program scores 34/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 27 (conservative) to 39 (strong growth) depending on market conditions.
How AI-proof is a career in Audiovisual Communications Technologies?
We model three scenarios: Strong Growth (full career stability), Base Case (moderate changes), and Conservative (maximum disruption). In the base case, Audiovisual Communications Technologies graduates retain 8 of 8 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $174,907 (conservative) to $499,167 (strong growth).
How many job openings are there for Audiovisual Communications Technologies graduates?
The career paths mapped to Audiovisual Communications Technologies have roughly 20,800 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a medium job market.
Is Audiovisual Communications Technologies at Iowa Western Community College worth it?
In the Base Case, this program earns 20.8x its tuition over 10 years. Even in the Conservative scenario, the multiple is 12.9x. The narrow spread between scenarios shows how stable trade careers are compared to desk jobs.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Scenarios model earnings resilience using AI exposure data and BLS job growth projections.
"Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI.
Last updated 2026.