International and Comparative Education: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 1 reporting college programs.
10-year estimate · Positive payoff
+$47,952 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
The estimate clears the cost within ten years, though your price and time to finish may change the result.
8.6 yrsModeled economic break-even
+16%Modeled 10-year ROI
$79,640Observed earnings · year 4
$41,600Maximum annual price for positive 10-year payoff
The price benchmark is $11,988 per year below this threshold.
Includes direct price and earnings forgone while studying. Assumes $45,000 in alternative annual earnings and no wage growth. How we calculate itFour useful answers about International and Comparative Education
How much do International and Comparative Education bachelor's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $79,640 four years after completion across reportable bachelor's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $8,000. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for International and Comparative Education?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $79,640 to $79,640 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to International and Comparative Education?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 1 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$166,400
$12,000Annual price+$118,400
$24,000Annual price+$70,400
$30,000Current college-wide context+$46,400
$36,000Annual price+$22,400
$48,000Annual price−$25,600
$60,000Annual price−$73,600
Observed national outcomes
$79,640Median reported earnings · year 4
$66,024Average reported earnings · year 5
$8,000Median federal debt
74thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
Not availableIPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
1With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 0 matched college records and is not extrapolated to colleges without a match.
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.
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$79,640National median$79,64075th percentile$79,640
1 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Narrow one field and credential by location, sector and debt, then compare two to four programs side by side.
1 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →See the spread, not just the national number.
1Duke University$79,640Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations, wages and demand
Official CIP–SOC links show where this field can lead. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same occupation.
NO MATCHUnreported U.S. jobs · SOC 99-9999
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 employment projections. Career context is separate from graduate outcomes.
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 | Duke UniversityBachelor's Degree | Durham, NC | $79,640 | $8,000 | +16% | 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.