Education, General: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 34 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$137,482 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.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
—Modeled economic break-even
−126%Modeled 10-year ROI
$42,127Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$42,127Median reported earnings · year 4
$38,289Average reported earnings · year 5
$11,025Median federal debt
31thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
34Reporting programs
31With 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
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $58,162
- Federal debt
- $14,250
- Reporting programs
- 2
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $42,127
- Federal debt
- $11,025
- Reporting programs
- 34
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $49,250
- Federal debt
- $26,525
- Reporting programs
- 88
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $60,429
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $63,909
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 217
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $95,543
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 36
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $83,429
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,300
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 8
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $62,656
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 12
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$39,731National median$42,12775th percentile$45,014
31 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Bakersfield College$56,6622Community College of Baltimore County$54,4933University of the District of Columbia$51,1374Campbell University$49,2675Middlesex College$48,5326Allegany College of Maryland$46,6057Pima Community College$46,0208Brookdale Community College$45,8679Volunteer State Community College$45,01410Pellissippi State Community College$44,787Observed 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 linksTeaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special EducationSOC 25-9042 · 1 crosswalk linksTeaching Assistants, Special EducationSOC 25-9043 · 1 crosswalk links
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 | Bakersfield CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bakersfield, CA | $56,662 | Not available | -2% | Negative payoff |
| 2 | Community College of Baltimore CountyAssociate's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $54,493 | $16,804 | -13% | Negative payoff |
| 3 | University of the District of ColumbiaAssociate's Degree | Washington, DC | $51,137 | $11,200 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | Campbell UniversityAssociate's Degree | Buies Creek, NC | $49,267 | $18,750 | -69% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | Middlesex CollegeAssociate's Degree | Edison, NJ | $48,532 | $7,000 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | Allegany College of MarylandAssociate's Degree | Cumberland, MD | $46,605 | Not available | -85% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Pima Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tucson, AZ | $46,020 | Not available | -89% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Brookdale Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Lincroft, NJ | $45,867 | $8,750 | -92% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Volunteer State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Gallatin, TN | $45,014 | Not available | -100% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Pellissippi State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Knoxville, TN | $44,787 | Not available | -102% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Butler County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Butler, PA | $44,623 | Not available | -104% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Minneapolis Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $44,566 | Not available | -104% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Nashville State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Nashville, TN | $43,653 | Not available | -113% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Butler Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | El Dorado, KS | $43,466 | $15,250 | -113% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Trinity Valley Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Athens, TX | $43,369 | Not available | -117% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Walters State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Morristown, TN | $42,127 | Not available | -129% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Columbia State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Columbia, TN | $41,890 | Not available | -131% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Connors State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Warner, OK | $41,698 | $10,352 | -130% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Motlow State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tullahoma, TN | $41,013 | Not available | -133% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Paris Junior CollegeAssociate's Degree | Paris, TX | $40,844 | Not available | -139% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Ivy Tech Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Indianapolis, IN | $40,815 | $10,874 | -140% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Southern Maine Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | South Portland, ME | $40,357 | $12,987 | -141% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | Mt Hood Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Gresham, OR | $39,812 | Not available | -149% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | Rowan College of South Jersey-Cumberland CampusAssociate's Degree | Vineland, NJ | $39,731 | $10,987 | -147% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester CampusAssociate's Degree | Sewell, NJ | $39,731 | $10,987 | -146% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Roane State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Harriman, TN | $39,183 | Not available | -159% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | Tulsa Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tulsa, OK | $38,873 | Not available | -160% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Century CollegeAssociate's Degree | White Bear Lake, MN | $38,344 | Not available | -160% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Community College of Rhode IslandAssociate's Degree | Warwick, RI | $36,336 | $9,187 | -184% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | East Central CollegeAssociate's Degree | Union, MO | $32,917 | Not available | -204% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | Stark State CollegeAssociate's Degree | North Canton, OH | $31,527 | $15,957 | -232% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Lehigh Carbon Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Schnecksville, PA | Not available | $11,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $9,203 |
| 33 | Potomac State College of West Virginia UniversityAssociate's Degree | Keyser, WV | Not available | $11,050 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $9,197 |
| 34 | West Virginia UniversityAssociate's Degree | Morgantown, WV | Not available | $11,050 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $15,634 |
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.