ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 2903

Military Applied Sciences: is this associate's degree worth it?

National picture across 1 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Strong payoff

+$196,068 over 10 years

National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.

Observed earnings clearly outpace the comparison earnings and estimated education cost in this scenario.

4.4 yrsModeled economic break-even
+129%Modeled 10-year ROI
$79,860Observed earnings · year 4
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$79,860Median reported earnings · year 4
$67,424Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
95thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
1Reporting 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.

CURRENT VIEW

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$79,860
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
1
1 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$130,197
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
1
1 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$79,860National median$79,86075th percentile$79,860
1 programs report year‑4 earnings.
WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1The University of Arizona Global Campus$79,860

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.

NO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 4 crosswalk linksEngineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherSOC 17-3029 · 3 crosswalk linksMilitary Officer Special and Tactical Operations Leaders, All OtherSOC 55-1019 · 1 crosswalk links
BEST COLLEGES FOR MILITARY APPLIED SCIENCES

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.

#CollegeLocationEarnings, year 4Federal debt10-year ROIVerdict
1The University of Arizona Global CampusAssociate's DegreeChandler, AZ$79,860Not available+129%Strong 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.