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ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 2607

Zoology/Animal Biology: is this associate's degree worth it?

National picture across 1 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$211,156 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.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

—Modeled economic break-even

−196%Modeled 10-year ROI

$34,635Observed 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

$34,635Median reported earnings · year 4

Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

8thYear-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: $34,635
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $44,201
Federal debt: $24,393
Reporting programs: 54

52 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $73,457
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 3

3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $87,716
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 2

2 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$34,635National median$34,63575th percentile$34,635

1 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Davidson-Davie Community College$34,635

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.

Zoologists and Wildlife BiologistsSOC 19-1023 · 6 crosswalk linksBiological Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1042 · 4 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 4 crosswalk linksBiological TechniciansSOC 19-4021 · 3 crosswalk linksBiological Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1029 · 2 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR ZOOLOGY/ANIMAL BIOLOGY

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.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	10-year ROI	Verdict
1	Davidson-Davie Community CollegeAssociate's Degree	Thomasville, NC	$34,635	Not available	-196%	Negative 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.