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BACHELOR'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 1306

Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research: is this bachelor's degree worth it?

National picture across 4 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$268,315 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.

232.7 yrsModeled economic break-even

−96%Modeled 10-year ROI

$46,205Observed 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

$46,205Median reported earnings · year 4

$44,221Average reported earnings · year 5

$26,000Median federal debt

13thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

4Reporting programs

2With 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

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $46,205
Federal debt: $26,000
Reporting programs: 4

2 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $60,351
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 7

7 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $99,094
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 5

5 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $90,521
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 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$44,242National median$46,20575th percentile$44,242

2 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1University of Arizona$48,168 2The University of Arizona Global Campus$44,242 3Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusNot available 4Pennsylvania State University-World CampusNot available

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.

Education Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1081 · 5 crosswalk linksManagement AnalystsSOC 13-1111 · 5 crosswalk linksSocial Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherSOC 19-3099 · 5 crosswalk linksStatisticiansSOC 15-2041 · 4 crosswalk linksEducational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherSOC 25-9099 · 1 crosswalk linksSocial Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All OtherSOC 25-1069 · 1 crosswalk linksSurvey ResearchersSOC 19-3022 · 1 crosswalk linksTraining and Development ManagersSOC 11-3131 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT, EVALUATION, AND RESEARCH

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	University of ArizonaBachelor's Degree	Tucson, AZ	$48,168	$22,500	-87%	Negative payoff
2	The University of Arizona Global CampusBachelor's Degree	Chandler, AZ	$44,242	$41,944	-102%	Negative payoff
3	Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree	University Park, PA	Not available	$26,000	WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive	$32,875
4	Pennsylvania State University-World CampusBachelor's Degree	University Park, PA	Not available	$26,000	WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive	$19,550

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.