Area Studies: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?
National picture across 4 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$63,939 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.
$63,939Median year-4 earnings
$20,815Average institution net-price context
$25,092Median federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$63,939Median reported earnings · year 4
Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5
$25,092Median federal debt
77thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
4Reporting programs
3With 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.
CURRENT VIEW
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $63,939
- Federal debt
- $25,092
- Reporting programs
- 4
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $57,208
- Federal debt
- $21,000
- Reporting programs
- 84
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $77,981
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 10
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $47,725
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
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$43,166National median$63,93975th percentile$63,939
3 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.
1University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown$63,9392University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus$63,9393University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee$43,1664Slippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaNot availableObserved 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.
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1062 · 37 crosswalk links
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 | University of Pittsburgh-JohnstownUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Johnstown, PA | $63,939 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,202 |
| 2 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Pittsburgh, PA | $63,939 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,434 |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Milwaukee, WI | $43,166 | $25,788 | Baseline needed | $15,014 |
| 4 | Slippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Slippery Rock, PA | Not available | $24,395 | Baseline needed | $19,608 |
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.