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POST-BACCALAUREATE CERTIFICATE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 1311

Student Counseling and Personnel Services: is this post-baccalaureate certificate worth it?

National picture across 2 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$63,760 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.

$63,760Median year-4 earnings

$27,554Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

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

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$63,760Median reported earnings · year 4

Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

32thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

2Reporting programs

2With 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

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $63,760
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $58,866
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 305

305 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $86,457
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 4

4 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

First Professional Degree

Year-4 earnings: $60,258
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $55,831
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 4

4 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings: $85,757
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$54,635National median$63,76075th percentile$54,635

2 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Harvard University$72,884 2Butler University$54,635

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.

Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsSOC 21-1012 · 3 crosswalk linksResidential AdvisorsSOC 39-9041 · 2 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR STUDENT COUNSELING AND PERSONNEL SERVICES

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	Harvard UniversityPost-baccalaureate Certificate	Cambridge, MA	$72,884	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,066
2	Butler UniversityPost-baccalaureate Certificate	Indianapolis, IN	$54,635	Not available	Baseline needed	$36,041

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.