Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 63 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$42,902 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.
15.9 yrsModeled economic break-even
−37%Modeled 10-year ROI
$52,232Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$52,232Median reported earnings · year 4
$49,624Average reported earnings · year 5
$12,992Median federal debt
59thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
63Reporting programs
50With 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
- $47,714
- Federal debt
- $13,833
- Reporting programs
- 23
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $52,232
- Federal debt
- $12,992
- Reporting programs
- 63
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $59,778
- Federal debt
- $26,737
- Reporting programs
- 197
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $81,617
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 20
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $114,339
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 4
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $61,345
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
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$44,966National median$52,23275th percentile$57,824
50 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Seattle Central College$95,4862Pacific Union College$79,2833University of Mount Olive$78,2474North Country Community College$72,1635Weber State University$67,4566Bucks County Community College$66,8577Laramie County Community College$66,4098Lehigh Carbon Community College$65,9279Southern Maine Community College$64,92710Roxbury Community College$60,465Observed 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.
Community Health WorkersSOC 21-1094 · 1 crosswalk linksHealth Education SpecialistsSOC 21-1091 · 1 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 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 | Seattle Central CollegeAssociate's Degree | Seattle, WA | $95,486 | $12,974 | +369% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Pacific Union CollegeAssociate's Degree | Angwin, CA | $79,283 | $27,000 | +99% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | University of Mount OliveAssociate's Degree | Mount Olive, NC | $78,247 | $31,838 | +160% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | North Country Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Saranac Lake, NY | $72,163 | $17,110 | +139% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Weber State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Ogden, UT | $67,456 | $11,870 | +103% | Strong payoff |
| 6 | Bucks County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Newtown, PA | $66,857 | $12,000 | +113% | Strong payoff |
| 7 | Laramie County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Cheyenne, WY | $66,409 | $12,992 | +105% | Strong payoff |
| 8 | Lehigh Carbon Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Schnecksville, PA | $65,927 | $11,000 | +93% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | Southern Maine Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | South Portland, ME | $64,927 | $15,750 | +78% | Positive payoff |
| 10 | Roxbury Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Roxbury Crossing, MA | $60,465 | $9,080 | +35% | Positive payoff |
| 11 | Cameron UniversityAssociate's Degree | Lawton, OK | $60,153 | $19,396 | +36% | Positive payoff |
| 12 | Finger Lakes Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Canandaigua, NY | $59,481 | $15,525 | +23% | Positive payoff |
| 13 | NHTI-Concord's Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Concord, NH | $58,530 | $17,500 | +7% | Positive payoff |
| 14 | Salt Lake Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Salt Lake City, UT | $57,824 | $11,750 | +17% | Positive payoff |
| 15 | Excelsior UniversityAssociate's Degree | Albany, NY | $57,737 | $22,810 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 16 | Lake Washington Institute of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | Kirkland, WA | $57,595 | Not available | +22% | Positive payoff |
| 17 | Central Lakes College-BrainerdAssociate's Degree | Brainerd, MN | $57,304 | $19,550 | +5% | Positive payoff |
| 18 | Western Dakota Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Rapid City, SD | $55,671 | Not available | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | University of the Incarnate WordAssociate's Degree | San Antonio, TX | $55,307 | $11,000 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Middlesex CollegeAssociate's Degree | Edison, NJ | $55,217 | $6,750 | +8% | Positive payoff |
| 21 | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | New York, NY | $54,599 | $6,442 | -4% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Butler Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | El Dorado, KS | $54,208 | $13,356 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | Washtenaw Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Ann Arbor, MI | $52,780 | $17,629 | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | Purdue University GlobalAssociate's Degree | West Lafayette, IN | $52,571 | $5,967 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Community College of PhiladelphiaAssociate's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $52,373 | $13,313 | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Northern Wyoming Community College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Sheridan, WY | $52,090 | $10,500 | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | Holyoke Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Holyoke, MA | $50,953 | $11,930 | -44% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Paris Junior CollegeAssociate's Degree | Paris, TX | $49,653 | $9,086 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Delaware County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Media, PA | $49,487 | $13,364 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | St Cloud Technical and Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Saint Cloud, MN | $48,372 | Not available | -69% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | SUNY Broome Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Binghamton, NY | $47,859 | $12,000 | -73% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester CampusAssociate's Degree | Sewell, NJ | $47,381 | $15,195 | -79% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Oklahoma State University Institute of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | Okmulgee, OK | $47,201 | Not available | -80% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | UCNJ Union College of Union County New JerseyAssociate's Degree | Cranford, NJ | $46,307 | $12,241 | -88% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | Northern Essex Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Haverhill, MA | $45,824 | $9,190 | -92% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Raritan Valley Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Branchburg, NJ | $45,498 | Not available | -95% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | Southeast Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Sioux Falls, SD | $45,010 | Not available | -100% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | Central New Mexico Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Albuquerque, NM | $44,966 | $8,553 | -100% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | Carl Albert State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Poteau, OK | $44,939 | $10,738 | -101% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | Hudson County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Jersey City, NJ | $44,758 | $10,587 | -102% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | Los Angeles Pacific UniversityAssociate's Degree | Glendora, CA | $44,544 | $35,105 | -103% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | Carrington College-Phoenix NorthAssociate's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $44,399 | $15,859 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 43 | CUNY Queensborough Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bayside, NY | $44,067 | $7,000 | -109% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | Quinsigamond Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Worcester, MA | $42,068 | Not available | -127% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | Northeast Wisconsin Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Green Bay, WI | $41,522 | Not available | -132% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | Fulton-Montgomery Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Johnstown, NY | $41,159 | $14,160 | -137% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | Charter CollegeAssociate's Degree | Anchorage, AK | $41,096 | $21,418 | -124% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | Berkeley College-Woodland ParkAssociate's Degree | Woodland Park, NJ | $38,875 | $16,909 | -142% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | West Kentucky Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Paducah, KY | $38,499 | $8,500 | -165% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | Carrington College-SacramentoAssociate's Degree | Sacramento, CA | $36,563 | $15,888 | -149% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | Ashland Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Ashland, KY | Not available | $11,062 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $5,717 |
| 52 | Jefferson Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Louisville, KY | Not available | $17,985 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $6,376 |
| 53 | Metropolitan Community College-Kansas CityAssociate's Degree | Kansas City, MO | Not available | $8,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $8,398 |
| 54 | Rowan College at Burlington CountyAssociate's Degree | Mount Laurel, NJ | Not available | $9,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $5,344 |
| 55 | Erie Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Buffalo, NY | Not available | $18,175 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $7,765 |
| 56 | Mercy College of OhioAssociate's Degree | Toledo, OH | Not available | $38,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $17,989 |
| 57 | Alvin Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Alvin, TX | Not available | $5,375 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $8,525 |
| 58 | Brightpoint Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Chester, VA | Not available | $11,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $5,490 |
| 59 | Central Wyoming CollegeAssociate's Degree | Riverton, WY | Not available | $10,398 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $11,634 |
| 60 | Carrington College-PortlandAssociate's Degree | Portland, OR | Not available | $18,418 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $36,595 |
| 61 | Carrington College-SpokaneAssociate's Degree | Spokane, WA | Not available | $18,418 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $42,335 |
| 62 | College of Western IdahoAssociate's Degree | Nampa, ID | Not available | $13,309 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $8,500 |
| 63 | Bay State CollegeAssociate's Degree | , | Not available | $27,375 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
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.