Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other: is this master's degree worth it?
National picture across 10 reporting college programs.
$97,362 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.
Observed national outcomes
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.
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $62,145
- Federal debt
- $18,933
- Reporting programs
- 1
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $39,860
- Federal debt
- $17,000
- Reporting programs
- 2
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $63,162
- Federal debt
- $24,111
- Reporting programs
- 15
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $97,362
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 10
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.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1California State University, Long Beach$129,5082Massachusetts Maritime Academy$111,1763Virginia Commonwealth University$108,1174University of New Haven$100,6585Eastern Kentucky University$99,6316Webster University$95,0927Tiffin University$94,6118Tulane University of Louisiana$89,7079Michigan State University$80,35810University of Detroit Mercy$79,586Observed 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.
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 | California State University, Long BeachMaster's Degree | Long Beach, CA | $129,508 | Not available | Baseline needed | $10,440 |
| 2 | Massachusetts Maritime AcademyMaster's Degree | Buzzards Bay, MA | $111,176 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,582 |
| 3 | Virginia Commonwealth UniversityMaster's Degree | Richmond, VA | $108,117 | Not available | Baseline needed | $23,433 |
| 4 | University of New HavenMaster's Degree | West Haven, CT | $100,658 | Not available | Baseline needed | $34,192 |
| 5 | Eastern Kentucky UniversityMaster's Degree | Richmond, KY | $99,631 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,040 |
| 6 | Webster UniversityMaster's Degree | Saint Louis, MO | $95,092 | Not available | Baseline needed | $27,047 |
| 7 | Tiffin UniversityMaster's Degree | Tiffin, OH | $94,611 | Not available | Baseline needed | $26,500 |
| 8 | Tulane University of LouisianaMaster's Degree | New Orleans, LA | $89,707 | Not available | Baseline needed | $39,949 |
| 9 | Michigan State UniversityMaster's Degree | East Lansing, MI | $80,358 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,680 |
| 10 | University of Detroit MercyMaster's Degree | Detroit, MI | $79,586 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,232 |
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.