American Sign Language: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 22 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$246,408 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
529.3 yrsModeled economic break-even
−98%Modeled 10-year ROI
$45,475Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$45,475Median reported earnings · year 4
$45,433Average reported earnings · year 5
$25,644Median federal debt
11thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
22Reporting programs
20With year-4 earnings
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
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $41,525
- Federal debt
- $25,131
- Reporting programs
- 7
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $45,475
- Federal debt
- $25,644
- Reporting programs
- 22
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $73,269
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
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$39,516National median$45,47575th percentile$48,295
20 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.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Gallaudet University$70,8592Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania$59,1343Lamar University$54,3194Madonna University$50,3825William Woods University$49,8896Western Oregon University$48,2957Liberty University$48,1098Indiana University-Indianapolis$47,0039St Catherine University$45,97310Columbia College Chicago$45,619Observed 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.
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
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 | Gallaudet UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $70,859 | $30,500 | +6% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | Commonwealth University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | Bloomsburg, PA | $59,134 | $27,000 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 3 | Lamar UniversityBachelor's Degree | Beaumont, TX | $54,319 | $24,262 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | Madonna UniversityBachelor's Degree | Livonia, MI | $50,382 | Not available | -79% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | William Woods UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fulton, MO | $49,889 | $25,287 | -83% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | Western Oregon UniversityBachelor's Degree | Monmouth, OR | $48,295 | $22,950 | -87% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Liberty UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lynchburg, VA | $48,109 | Not available | -90% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Indiana University-IndianapolisBachelor's Degree | Indianapolis, IN | $47,003 | Not available | -91% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | St Catherine UniversityBachelor's Degree | Saint Paul, MN | $45,973 | $27,000 | -96% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Columbia College ChicagoBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $45,619 | $28,818 | -98% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Rochester Institute of TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Rochester, NY | $45,330 | $26,870 | -99% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Siena Heights UniversityBachelor's Degree | Adrian, MI | $44,933 | $22,753 | -100% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Keuka CollegeBachelor's Degree | Keuka Park, NY | $43,419 | $26,000 | -106% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Kent State University at KentBachelor's Degree | Kent, OH | $42,488 | $30,000 | -110% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | University of North FloridaBachelor's Degree | Jacksonville, FL | $39,944 | Not available | -123% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Valdosta State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Valdosta, GA | $39,516 | Not available | -125% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | University of New Hampshire-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Durham, NH | $38,282 | Not available | -124% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | University of New Hampshire at ManchesterBachelor's Degree | Manchester, NH | $38,282 | Not available | -131% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Eastern Kentucky UniversityBachelor's Degree | Richmond, KY | $36,755 | Not available | -137% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Utah Valley UniversityBachelor's Degree | Orem, UT | $28,583 | $16,763 | -180% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Troy UniversityBachelor's Degree | Troy, AL | Not available | $20,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $16,527 |
| 22 | University of New Mexico-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Albuquerque, NM | Not available | $25,062 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $15,489 |
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.