Curriculum and Instruction: is this doctoral degree worth it?
National picture across 24 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$83,569 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.
$83,569Median year-4 earnings
$19,144Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$83,569Median reported earnings · year 4
$81,282Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
25thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
24Reporting programs
24With year-4 earnings
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
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $46,713
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Reporting programs
- 4
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $60,655
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 198
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $83,569
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 24
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,838
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,198
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 6
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $71,589
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
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$78,398National median$83,56975th percentile$91,306
24 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
Find the colleges that fit your constraints
Keep this exact federal field and credential fixed, then narrow the reporting colleges by location, sector and federal debt.
24 matchesShowing up to 25 currently operating colleges
1St. John's University-New YorkQueens, NY · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$153,334Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$29,9992Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL · PublicYear-4 earnings$117,352Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$13,3913University of MemphisMemphis, TN · PublicYear-4 earnings$97,572Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$12,3974Mercer UniversityMacon, GA · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$96,686Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$23,8475Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboro, GA · PublicYear-4 earnings$91,534Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$15,2676Teachers College at Columbia UniversityNew York, NY · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$91,322Federal debtNot availableAnnual net priceNot available7University of FloridaGainesville, FL · PublicYear-4 earnings$91,306Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$6,5418Capella UniversityMinneapolis, MN · Private for-profitYear-4 earnings$91,034Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$17,9569The University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX · PublicYear-4 earnings$85,479Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$19,85710Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, VA · PublicYear-4 earnings$84,607Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$24,95311University of South FloridaTampa, FL · PublicYear-4 earnings$84,486Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$9,81212North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh, NC · PublicYear-4 earnings$83,594Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$17,30313Texas A&M University-College StationCollege Station, TX · PublicYear-4 earnings$83,544Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$21,31514Lindenwood UniversitySaint Charles, MO · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$83,439Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$19,63815University of South Carolina-ColumbiaColumbia, SC · PublicYear-4 earnings$80,374Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$22,81116University of Phoenix-ArizonaPhoenix, AZ · Private for-profitYear-4 earnings$80,021Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$13,52017University of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotte, NC · PublicYear-4 earnings$79,364Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$15,43518Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing, MI · PublicYear-4 earnings$79,274Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$19,68019Gardner-Webb UniversityBoiling Springs, NC · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$78,398Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$17,67420University of Missouri-ColumbiaColumbia, MO · PublicYear-4 earnings$76,582Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$20,26821Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TX · PublicYear-4 earnings$75,455Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$19,07022Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUniversity Park, PA · PublicYear-4 earnings$74,098Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$32,87523Liberty UniversityLynchburg, VA · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$73,065Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$29,35724University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI · PublicYear-4 earnings$70,523Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$17,354
Open the full program search →See the spread, not just the national number.
1St. John's University-New York$153,3342Northern Illinois University$117,3523University of Memphis$97,5724Mercer University$96,6865Georgia Southern University$91,5346Teachers College at Columbia University$91,3227University of Florida$91,3068Capella University$91,0349The University of Texas at Austin$85,47910Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University$84,607Observed 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.
Education Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1081 · 1 crosswalk linksInstructional CoordinatorsSOC 25-9031 · 1 crosswalk links
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 | St. John's University-New YorkDoctoral Degree | Queens, NY | $153,334 | Not available | Baseline needed | $29,999 |
| 2 | Northern Illinois UniversityDoctoral Degree | Dekalb, IL | $117,352 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,391 |
| 3 | University of MemphisDoctoral Degree | Memphis, TN | $97,572 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,397 |
| 4 | Mercer UniversityDoctoral Degree | Macon, GA | $96,686 | Not available | Baseline needed | $23,847 |
| 5 | Georgia Southern UniversityDoctoral Degree | Statesboro, GA | $91,534 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,267 |
| 6 | Teachers College at Columbia UniversityDoctoral Degree | New York, NY | $91,322 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 7 | University of FloridaDoctoral Degree | Gainesville, FL | $91,306 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,541 |
| 8 | Capella UniversityDoctoral Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $91,034 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,956 |
| 9 | The University of Texas at AustinDoctoral Degree | Austin, TX | $85,479 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,857 |
| 10 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityDoctoral Degree | Blacksburg, VA | $84,607 | Not available | Baseline needed | $24,953 |
| 11 | University of South FloridaDoctoral Degree | Tampa, FL | $84,486 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,812 |
| 12 | North Carolina State University at RaleighDoctoral Degree | Raleigh, NC | $83,594 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,303 |
| 13 | Texas A&M University-College StationDoctoral Degree | College Station, TX | $83,544 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,315 |
| 14 | Lindenwood UniversityDoctoral Degree | Saint Charles, MO | $83,439 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,638 |
| 15 | University of South Carolina-ColumbiaDoctoral Degree | Columbia, SC | $80,374 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,811 |
| 16 | University of Phoenix-ArizonaDoctoral Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $80,021 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,520 |
| 17 | University of North Carolina at CharlotteDoctoral Degree | Charlotte, NC | $79,364 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,435 |
| 18 | Michigan State UniversityDoctoral Degree | East Lansing, MI | $79,274 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,680 |
| 19 | Gardner-Webb UniversityDoctoral Degree | Boiling Springs, NC | $78,398 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,674 |
| 20 | University of Missouri-ColumbiaDoctoral Degree | Columbia, MO | $76,582 | Not available | Baseline needed | $20,268 |
| 21 | Texas Tech UniversityDoctoral Degree | Lubbock, TX | $75,455 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,070 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusDoctoral Degree | University Park, PA | $74,098 | Not available | Baseline needed | $32,875 |
| 23 | Liberty UniversityDoctoral Degree | Lynchburg, VA | $73,065 | Not available | Baseline needed | $29,357 |
| 24 | University of Wisconsin-MadisonDoctoral Degree | Madison, WI | $70,523 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,354 |
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.