Homeland Security: is this master's degree worth it?
National picture across 28 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$93,686 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.
$93,686Median year-4 earnings
$22,127Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$93,686Median reported earnings · year 4
$94,582Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
64thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
28Reporting programs
28With 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
- $61,324
- Federal debt
- $20,843
- Reporting programs
- 6
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $63,213
- Federal debt
- $21,875
- Reporting programs
- 3
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $67,953
- Federal debt
- $23,450
- Reporting programs
- 37
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $93,686
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 28
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $87,917
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
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$82,876National median$93,68675th percentile$106,535
28 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1George Mason University$154,1582George Washington University$134,8473Utica University$118,9064University of South Florida$114,3985Georgetown University$108,8856National American University-Rapid City$107,3327Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg$106,5358Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus$106,5359Pennsylvania State University-World Campus$106,53510Southern New Hampshire University$102,281Observed 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.
Emergency Management DirectorsSOC 11-9161 · 4 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesSOC 33-1012 · 4 crosswalk linksManagers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 4 crosswalk linksCriminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1111 · 2 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All OtherSOC 33-1099 · 1 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersSOC 33-1091 · 1 crosswalk linksPostsecondary Teachers, All OtherSOC 25-1199 · 1 crosswalk linksSpecial ForcesSOC 55-3018 · 1 crosswalk linksSpecial Forces OfficersSOC 55-1017 · 1 crosswalk links
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 | George Mason UniversityMaster's Degree | Fairfax, VA | $154,158 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,915 |
| 2 | George Washington UniversityMaster's Degree | Washington, DC | $134,847 | Not available | Baseline needed | $36,586 |
| 3 | Utica UniversityMaster's Degree | Utica, NY | $118,906 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,108 |
| 4 | University of South FloridaMaster's Degree | Tampa, FL | $114,398 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,812 |
| 5 | Georgetown UniversityMaster's Degree | Washington, DC | $108,885 | Not available | Baseline needed | $40,815 |
| 6 | National American University-Rapid CityMaster's Degree | Rapid City, SD | $107,332 | Not available | Baseline needed | $31,062 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State HarrisburgMaster's Degree | Middletown, PA | $106,535 | Not available | Baseline needed | $23,330 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusMaster's Degree | University Park, PA | $106,535 | Not available | Baseline needed | $32,875 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania State University-World CampusMaster's Degree | University Park, PA | $106,535 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,550 |
| 10 | Southern New Hampshire UniversityMaster's Degree | Manchester, NH | $102,281 | Not available | Baseline needed | $36,708 |
| 11 | American UniversityMaster's Degree | Washington, DC | $96,954 | Not available | Baseline needed | $41,943 |
| 12 | American Public University SystemMaster's Degree | Charles Town, WV | $96,527 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,597 |
| 13 | Florida International UniversityMaster's Degree | Miami, FL | $96,373 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,288 |
| 14 | Columbia Southern UniversityMaster's Degree | Orange Beach, AL | $93,851 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,580 |
| 15 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionMaster's Degree | Tempe, AZ | $93,521 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,967 |
| 16 | Arizona State University Digital ImmersionMaster's Degree | Scottsdale, AZ | $93,521 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 17 | Northeastern UniversityMaster's Degree | Boston, MA | $90,323 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,915 |
| 18 | Northeastern University Professional ProgramsMaster's Degree | Boston, MA | $90,323 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 19 | New Jersey City UniversityMaster's Degree | Jersey City, NJ | $88,249 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,053 |
| 20 | Wilmington UniversityMaster's Degree | New Castle, DE | $88,090 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,644 |
| 21 | Walden UniversityMaster's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $86,888 | Not available | Baseline needed | $33,817 |
| 22 | Sam Houston State UniversityMaster's Degree | Huntsville, TX | $82,876 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,404 |
| 23 | Northwestern State University of LouisianaMaster's Degree | Natchitoches, LA | $81,715 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,606 |
| 24 | Capella UniversityMaster's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $76,702 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,956 |
| 25 | National UniversityMaster's Degree | San Diego, CA | $75,701 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,878 |
| 26 | Arkansas State UniversityMaster's Degree | Jonesboro, AR | $75,019 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,366 |
| 27 | Millersville University of PennsylvaniaMaster's Degree | Millersville, PA | $71,649 | Not available | Baseline needed | $20,787 |
| 28 | Colorado Technical University-Colorado SpringsMaster's Degree | Colorado Springs, CO | $66,872 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,745 |
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.