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MASTER'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 1306

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

National picture across 7 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$60,351 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.

$60,351Median year-4 earnings

$18,236Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$60,351Median reported earnings · year 4

$70,696Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

15thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

7Reporting programs

7With 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

Bachelor's Degree

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

2 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

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$52,582National median$60,35175th percentile$69,430

7 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1University of Illinois Chicago$87,792 2University of California, Santa Cruz$73,343 3Southwestern Oklahoma State University$69,430 4University of Alabama at Birmingham$60,351 5Texas Tech University$56,024 6Campbellsville University$52,582 7Union University$52,015

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. 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	University of Illinois ChicagoMaster's Degree	Chicago, IL	$87,792	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,974
2	University of California, Santa CruzMaster's Degree	Santa Cruz, CA	$73,343	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,890
3	Southwestern Oklahoma State UniversityMaster's Degree	Weatherford, OK	$69,430	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,459
4	University of Alabama at BirminghamMaster's Degree	Birmingham, AL	$60,351	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,749
5	Texas Tech UniversityMaster's Degree	Lubbock, TX	$56,024	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,070
6	Campbellsville UniversityMaster's Degree	Campbellsville, KY	$52,582	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,341
7	Union UniversityMaster's Degree	Jackson, TN	$52,015	Not available	Baseline needed	$27,171

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.