Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities: is this graduate/professional certificate worth it?
National picture across 4 reporting college programs.
$64,895 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
- $44,349
- Federal debt
- $9,500
- Reporting programs
- 114
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $42,789
- Federal debt
- $11,000
- Reporting programs
- 997
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $52,545
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Reporting programs
- 527
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $100,964
- Federal debt
- $28,249
- Reporting programs
- 2
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $67,332
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 35
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $64,895
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 4
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $53,722
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 25
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.
1Indiana University-Bloomington$119,5362Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University$70,3353Emporia State University$59,4554Rend Lake College$40,356Observed 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 | Indiana University-BloomingtonGraduate/Professional Certificate | Bloomington, IN | $119,536 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,264 |
| 2 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Blacksburg, VA | $70,335 | Not available | Baseline needed | $24,953 |
| 3 | Emporia State UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Emporia, KS | $59,455 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,261 |
| 4 | Rend Lake CollegeGraduate/Professional Certificate | Ina, IL | $40,356 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,187 |
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.