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ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 1616

American Sign Language: is this associate's degree worth it?

National picture across 7 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$139,810 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

−133%Modeled 10-year ROI

$41,525Observed 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

$41,525Median reported earnings · year 4

$39,494Average reported earnings · year 5

$25,131Median federal debt

28thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

7Reporting programs

6With 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.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $40,131
Federal debt: $17,000
Reporting programs: 5

5 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $41,525
Federal debt: $25,131
Reporting programs: 7

6 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $45,475
Federal debt: $25,644
Reporting programs: 22

20 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $73,269
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$34,519National median$41,52575th percentile$43,647

6 programs report year‑4 earnings.

DECISION CHECK

What to compare before choosing a program

The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.

$43,64775th-percentile year-4 earnings among reporting programs

$25,131Median federal debt across programs that report it

0Programs with earnings in the top quarter and debt at or below the median

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Saint Louis Community College$47,106 2Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City$46,629 3Columbus State Community College$43,647 4Oakland Community College$39,402 5Saint Paul College$34,519 6South Texas College$22,261 7Delgado Community CollegeNot 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.

Interpreters and TranslatorsSOC 27-3091 · 4 crosswalk linksForeign Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1124 · 2 crosswalk linksSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2031 · 2 crosswalk linksPostsecondary Teachers, All OtherSOC 25-1199 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE

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	Saint Louis Community CollegeAssociate's Degree	Bridgeton, MO	$47,106	Not available	-80%	Negative payoff
2	Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma CityAssociate's Degree	Oklahoma City, OK	$46,629	Not available	-84%	Negative payoff
3	Columbus State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree	Columbus, OH	$43,647	Not available	-113%	Negative payoff
4	Oakland Community CollegeAssociate's Degree	Auburn Hills, MI	$39,402	Not available	-155%	Negative payoff
5	Saint Paul CollegeAssociate's Degree	Saint Paul, MN	$34,519	Not available	-193%	Negative payoff
6	South Texas CollegeAssociate's Degree	McAllen, TX	$22,261	Not available	-343%	Negative payoff
7	Delgado Community CollegeAssociate's Degree	New Orleans, LA	Not available	$25,131	WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive	$9,747

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.