Statistics: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?

National picture across 2 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$87,034 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.

$87,034Median year-4 earnings

$28,926Average institution net-price context

$18,875Median federal debt

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

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$87,034Median reported earnings · year 4

$97,085Average reported earnings · year 5

$18,875Median federal debt

94thYear-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.

CURRENT VIEW

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $87,034
Federal debt: $18,875
Reporting programs: 2

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $87,335
Federal debt: $20,150
Reporting programs: 52

50 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $128,684
Federal debt: $16,041
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $129,762
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 18

18 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$87,034National median$87,03475th percentile$87,034

1 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Florida State University$87,034 2Chapman UniversityNot 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.

ActuariesSOC 15-2011 · 4 crosswalk linksMathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1022 · 4 crosswalk linksStatisticiansSOC 15-2041 · 4 crosswalk linksData ScientistsSOC 15-2051 · 3 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 3 crosswalk linksMathematiciansSOC 15-2021 · 2 crosswalk linksSurvey ResearchersSOC 19-3022 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR STATISTICS

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	Florida State UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Tallahassee, FL	$87,034	$19,500	Baseline needed	$11,297
2	Chapman UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Orange, CA	Not available	$18,250	Baseline needed	$46,555

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.