Real Estate: is this master's degree worth it?
National picture across 15 reporting college programs.
$147,770 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
- $46,206
- Federal debt
- $17,063
- Reporting programs
- 16
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $48,473
- Federal debt
- $25,453
- Reporting programs
- 3
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $83,592
- Federal debt
- $21,126
- Reporting programs
- 28
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $147,770
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 15
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.
1University of Pennsylvania$230,6242Johns Hopkins University$166,2913New York University$156,2524University of San Diego$155,9485Georgetown University$154,7786DePaul University$152,6947University of Florida$148,7648Southern Methodist University$147,7709George Mason University$124,97810Texas A&M University-College Station$124,680Observed 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 | University of PennsylvaniaMaster's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $230,624 | Not available | Baseline needed | $28,699 |
| 2 | Johns Hopkins UniversityMaster's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $166,291 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,809 |
| 3 | New York UniversityMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $156,252 | Not available | Baseline needed | $37,050 |
| 4 | University of San DiegoMaster's Degree | San Diego, CA | $155,948 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,365 |
| 5 | Georgetown UniversityMaster's Degree | Washington, DC | $154,778 | Not available | Baseline needed | $40,815 |
| 6 | DePaul UniversityMaster's Degree | Chicago, IL | $152,694 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,902 |
| 7 | University of FloridaMaster's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $148,764 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,541 |
| 8 | Southern Methodist UniversityMaster's Degree | Dallas, TX | $147,770 | Not available | Baseline needed | $40,892 |
| 9 | George Mason UniversityMaster's Degree | Fairfax, VA | $124,978 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,915 |
| 10 | Texas A&M University-College StationMaster's Degree | College Station, TX | $124,680 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,315 |
| 11 | University of UtahMaster's Degree | Salt Lake City, UT | $122,525 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,200 |
| 12 | Clemson UniversityMaster's Degree | Clemson, SC | $119,115 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,253 |
| 13 | Portland State UniversityMaster's Degree | Portland, OR | $117,821 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,552 |
| 14 | University of DenverMaster's Degree | Denver, CO | $103,304 | Not available | Baseline needed | $36,131 |
| 15 | Florida International UniversityMaster's Degree | Miami, FL | $83,465 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,288 |
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.