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ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4902

Ground Transportation: is this associate's degree worth it?

National picture across 2 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff

+$93,465 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.

This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.

5.8 yrsModeled economic break-even

+72%Modeled 10-year ROI

$67,338Observed 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

$67,338Median reported earnings · year 4

Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5

$12,000Median federal debt

83thYear-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.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $53,102
Federal debt: $7,875
Reporting programs: 114

111 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $67,338
Federal debt: $12,000
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $58,353
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$62,389National median$67,33875th percentile$62,389

2 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Northwest Iowa Community College$72,286 2Pennsylvania College of Technology$62,389

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.

Crane and Tower OperatorsSOC 53-7021 · 2 crosswalk linksHighway Maintenance WorkersSOC 47-4051 · 2 crosswalk linksOperating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsSOC 47-2073 · 2 crosswalk linksBus Drivers, SchoolSOC 53-3051 · 1 crosswalk linksBus Drivers, Transit and IntercitySOC 53-3052 · 1 crosswalk linksCareer/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1194 · 1 crosswalk linksContinuous Mining Machine OperatorsSOC 47-5041 · 1 crosswalk linksDredge OperatorsSOC 53-7031 · 1 crosswalk linksEarth Drillers, Except Oil and GasSOC 47-5023 · 1 crosswalk linksExcavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface MiningSOC 47-5022 · 1 crosswalk linksExplosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and BlastersSOC 47-5032 · 1 crosswalk linksExtraction Workers, All OtherSOC 47-5099 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR GROUND TRANSPORTATION

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	Northwest Iowa Community CollegeAssociate's Degree	Sheldon, IA	$72,286	Not available	+128%	Strong payoff
2	Pennsylvania College of TechnologyAssociate's Degree	Williamsport, PA	$62,389	$12,000	+24%	Positive payoff

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.