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POST-BACCALAUREATE CERTIFICATE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 2401

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities: is this post-baccalaureate certificate worth it?

National picture across 2 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$100,964 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.

$100,964Median year-4 earnings

$25,379Average institution net-price context

$28,249Median federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$100,964Median reported earnings · year 4

$82,891Average reported earnings · year 5

$28,249Median federal debt

72thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

2Reporting programs

1With 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: $44,349
Federal debt: $9,500
Reporting programs: 114

100 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $42,789
Federal debt: $11,000
Reporting programs: 997

969 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $52,545
Federal debt: $27,000
Reporting programs: 527

488 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $100,964
Federal debt: $28,249
Reporting programs: 2

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $67,332
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 35

35 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $64,895
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 4

4 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings: $53,722
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 25

25 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$100,964National median$100,96475th percentile$100,964

1 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Northwestern University$100,964 2Columbia University in the City of New YorkNot available

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.

Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherSOC 25-1199 · 3 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, GENERAL STUDIES AND HUMANITIES

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	Northwestern UniversityPost-baccalaureate Certificate	Evanston, IL	$100,964	$19,312	Baseline needed	$29,167
2	Columbia University in the City of New YorkPost-baccalaureate Certificate	New York, NY	Not available	$37,186	Baseline needed	$21,590

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.