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ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 2604

Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences: is this associate's degree worth it?

National picture across 1 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Strong payoff

+$192,104 over 10 years

National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.

Observed earnings clearly outpace the comparison earnings and estimated education cost in this scenario.

4.1 yrsModeled economic break-even

+142%Modeled 10-year ROI

$77,786Observed earnings · year 4

Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$77,786Median reported earnings · year 4

Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5

$14,280Median federal debt

95thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

1Reporting programs

1With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

CURRENT VIEW

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $77,786
Federal debt: $14,280
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $68,042
Federal debt: $20,422
Reporting programs: 41

35 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $299,873
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $120,514
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 4

4 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$77,786National median$77,78675th percentile$77,786

1 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1National University$77,786

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1042 · 6 crosswalk linksBiological Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1029 · 6 crosswalk linksMedical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsSOC 19-1042 · 5 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 4 crosswalk linksHealth Specialties Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1071 · 3 crosswalk linksBiochemists and BiophysicistsSOC 19-1021 · 1 crosswalk linksBiological TechniciansSOC 19-4021 · 1 crosswalk linksEpidemiologistsSOC 19-1041 · 1 crosswalk linksMedical and Clinical Laboratory TechnologistsSOC 29-2011 · 1 crosswalk linksMicrobiologistsSOC 19-1022 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR CELL/CELLULAR BIOLOGY AND ANATOMICAL SCIENCES

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	10-year ROI	Verdict
1	National UniversityAssociate's Degree	San Diego, CA	$77,786	$14,280	+142%	Strong payoff

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.