Architecture: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 1 reporting college programs.
10-year estimate · Negative payoff
−$182,032 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.
With these assumptions, the added earnings do not recover the cost within ten years.
—Modeled economic break-even
−189%Modeled 10-year ROI
$36,438Observed earnings · year 4
Not reachedMaximum annual price for positive 10-year payoff
Observed national outcomes
$36,438Median reported earnings · year 4
$37,121Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
14thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
Not availableIPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
1With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 0 matched college records and is not extrapolated to colleges without a match.
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
- $36,438
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $67,399
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Reporting programs
- 82
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $73,496
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 51
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $77,290
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 3
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$36,438National median$36,43875th percentile$36,438
1 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.
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Narrow one field and credential by location, sector and debt, then compare two to four programs side by side.
1 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →See the spread, not just the national number.
1El Paso Community College$36,438Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations, wages and demand
Official CIP–SOC links show where this field can lead. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same occupation.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary$96,870 median wage7,700 U.S. jobs · SOC 25-1031+2.6% projected employment, 2025–35 · 0.7k annual openingsTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$58,430–$159,030 10th–90th percentileArchitectural and Engineering Managers$171,270 median wage220,260 U.S. jobs · SOC 11-9041+5.5% projected employment, 2025–35 · 14.9k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$120,810–$262,760 10th–90th percentileArchitects, Except Landscape and Naval$99,280 median wage106,770 U.S. jobs · SOC 17-1011+4.3% projected employment, 2025–35 · 6.9k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$62,300–$161,420 10th–90th percentileNO MATCHUnreported U.S. jobs · SOC 99-9999
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 employment projections. Career context is separate from graduate outcomes.
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 | El Paso Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | El Paso, TX | $36,438 | Not available | -189% | 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.