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UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 3011

Gerontology: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?

National picture across 2 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$45,378 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.

$45,378Median year-4 earnings

$11,080Average institution net-price context

$11,137Median federal debt

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

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$45,378Median reported earnings · year 4

$30,644Average reported earnings · year 5

$11,137Median federal debt

40thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

2Reporting 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

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $45,378
Federal debt: $11,137
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $39,217
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $55,898
Federal debt: $26,973
Reporting programs: 7

6 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $61,113
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 4

4 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$38,916National median$45,37875th percentile$38,916

2 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Purdue University Fort Wayne$51,839 2Northwood Technical College$38,916

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.

Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1071 · 1 crosswalk linksMedical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsSOC 19-1042 · 1 crosswalk linksSocial Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherSOC 19-3099 · 1 crosswalk linksSocial Work Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1113 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR GERONTOLOGY

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	Purdue University Fort WayneUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Fort Wayne, IN	$51,839	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,171
2	Northwood Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Rice Lake, WI	$38,916	$11,137	Baseline needed	$8,989

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.