Community Organization and Advocacy: is this master's degree worth it?
National picture across 10 reporting college programs.
$63,839 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
Observed national outcomes
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.
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $47,136
- Federal debt
- $5,988
- Reporting programs
- 1
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $42,552
- Federal debt
- $13,805
- Reporting programs
- 12
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $51,066
- Federal debt
- $29,566
- Reporting programs
- 27
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $63,839
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 10
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.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Northwestern University$168,6322Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus$84,9813Pennsylvania State University-World Campus$84,9814Metropolitan State University$70,8495University of Michigan-Ann Arbor$66,0446Springfield College$61,6337Clark University$61,1018Merrimack College$55,2179Capella University$53,19710Murray State University$51,766Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern UniversityMaster's Degree | Evanston, IL | $168,632 | Not available | Baseline needed | $29,167 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusMaster's Degree | University Park, PA | $84,981 | Not available | Baseline needed | $32,875 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania State University-World CampusMaster's Degree | University Park, PA | $84,981 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,550 |
| 4 | Metropolitan State UniversityMaster's Degree | Saint Paul, MN | $70,849 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,863 |
| 5 | University of Michigan-Ann ArborMaster's Degree | Ann Arbor, MI | $66,044 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,138 |
| 6 | Springfield CollegeMaster's Degree | Springfield, MA | $61,633 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,587 |
| 7 | Clark UniversityMaster's Degree | Worcester, MA | $61,101 | Not available | Baseline needed | $28,714 |
| 8 | Merrimack CollegeMaster's Degree | North Andover, MA | $55,217 | Not available | Baseline needed | $37,927 |
| 9 | Capella UniversityMaster's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $53,197 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,956 |
| 10 | Murray State UniversityMaster's Degree | Murray, KY | $51,766 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,096 |
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.