BACHELOR'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 1001

Communications Technologies/Technicians: is this bachelor's degree worth it?

National picture across 5 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$306,195 over 10 years

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

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

Modeled economic break-even
−123%Modeled 10-year ROI
$39,273Observed 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

$39,273Median reported earnings · year 4
$39,853Average reported earnings · year 5
$20,500Median federal debt
2thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
5Reporting programs
5With 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.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings
$35,844
Federal debt
$24,653
Reporting programs
2
1 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$31,998
Federal debt
$12,750
Reporting programs
4
4 report earnings →
CURRENT VIEW

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$39,273
Federal debt
$20,500
Reporting programs
5
5 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$36,898National median$39,27375th percentile$47,469
5 programs report year‑4 earnings.
WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Eastern Michigan University$57,3432CUNY York College$47,4693East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania$39,2734Full Sail University$36,8985Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon$26,213

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.

Broadcast TechniciansSOC 27-4012 · 1 crosswalk linksFilm and Video EditorsSOC 27-4032 · 1 crosswalk linksMedia and Communication Workers, All OtherSOC 27-3099 · 1 crosswalk linksSound Engineering TechniciansSOC 27-4014 · 1 crosswalk links
BEST COLLEGES FOR COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS

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.

#CollegeLocationEarnings, year 4Federal debt10-year ROIVerdict
1Eastern Michigan UniversityBachelor's DegreeYpsilanti, MI$57,343Not available-49%Negative payoff
2CUNY York CollegeBachelor's DegreeJamaica, NY$47,469Not available-88%Negative payoff
3East Stroudsburg University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's DegreeEast Stroudsburg, PA$39,273$26,825-123%Negative payoff
4Full Sail UniversityBachelor's DegreeWinter Park, FL$36,898$20,500-124%Negative payoff
5Inter American University of Puerto Rico-BayamonBachelor's DegreeBayamon, PR$26,213$6,487-187%Negative 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.