ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES
Is a associate's degree in Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians worth it?
Compare cost, debt and earnings across 4 college programs with reportable data.
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Strong payoff
+$282,858 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.
2.8 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
+255%Estimated return after 10 years
$84,385Observed earnings · year 4
$151,925Highest annual price before payoff reaches $0
The price benchmark is $141,429 per year below this threshold.
Start with your decision
What do you need to compare?
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+$303,850
$10,000Current college-wide context+$283,850
$20,000Annual price+$263,850
$40,000Annual price+$223,850
$60,000Annual price+$183,850
$80,000Annual price+$143,850
$100,000Annual price+$103,850
Outcomes at a glance
$84,385Typical earnings four years after completion
$66,737Average earnings five years after completion
$18,848Typical federal student debt
98thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
Not availableDegrees awarded in 2024–25
4College programs reporting earnings
Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 0 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.
Four useful answers about Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians
How much do Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians associate's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $84,385 four years after completion across reportable associate's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $18,848. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $73,729 to $89,729 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 4 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.
Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $119,946
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 1
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $84,385
- Federal debt
- $18,848
- Programs in the comparison
- 4
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $74,167
- Federal debt
- $19,125
- Programs in the comparison
- 1
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$73,729National median$84,38575th percentile$89,729
4 programs report year‑4 earnings.BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare price, debt and earnings together
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION
Three useful places to start
Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.
Highest observed earnings
Lewis and Clark Community College
$112,093 four years after completionGodfrey, IL · inspect the full program →Lowest reported federal debtLackawanna College
$12,000 among completer borrowersScranton, PA · inspect the full program →Largest recent graduating classNicholls State University
34 reported awards in 2024–25Thibodaux, LA · inspect the full program →Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.
4 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 4 shown
Search every reporting program →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Lewis and Clark Community College$112,0932Lackawanna College$89,7293Nicholls State University$79,0414Houston City College$73,729Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Jobs this degree may lead to
Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-8%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians$53,350 median wage6,980 jobs nationwide+3.6% projected growth through 2035 · 1,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Associate's degree$35,770–$99,560 typical wage rangeGas Plant Operators$87,820 median wage18,030 jobs nationwide-6.0% projected growth through 2035 · 1,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$61,350–$115,520 typical wage rangeEngineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$78,350 median wage59,930 jobs nationwide+2.8% projected growth through 2035 · 5,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Associate's degree$47,030–$118,330 typical wage rangeService Unit Operators, Oil and Gas$58,160 median wage43,140 jobs nationwide+1.1% projected growth through 2035 · 3,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: No formal educational credential$38,940–$97,560 typical wage range
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.
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.