Area Studies: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 84 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$144,476 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.
21.8 yrsModeled economic break-even
−54%Modeled 10-year ROI
$57,208Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$57,208Median reported earnings · year 4
$61,266Average reported earnings · year 5
$21,000Median federal debt
40thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
84Reporting programs
70With 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
- $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$49,872National median$57,20875th percentile$65,970
70 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Cornell University$96,9762Columbia University in the City of New York$96,8843Miami University-Oxford$79,4494Bowdoin College$75,9665University of Notre Dame$75,8326Fordham University$75,5637University of Missouri-Columbia$75,2308Emory University$75,2059Trinity College$73,22910University of California, Berkeley$70,366Observed 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. 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 | Cornell UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ithaca, NY | $96,976 | $17,625 | +76% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | Columbia University in the City of New YorkBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $96,884 | $22,486 | +95% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Miami University-OxfordBachelor's Degree | Oxford, OH | $79,449 | $20,552 | +17% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | Bowdoin CollegeBachelor's Degree | Brunswick, ME | $75,966 | $24,000 | +30% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | University of Notre DameBachelor's Degree | Notre Dame, IN | $75,832 | $19,250 | +7% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | Fordham UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bronx, NY | $75,563 | $26,884 | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | University of Missouri-ColumbiaBachelor's Degree | Columbia, MO | $75,230 | $24,250 | +16% | Positive payoff |
| 8 | Emory UniversityBachelor's Degree | Atlanta, GA | $75,205 | $19,500 | +12% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | Trinity CollegeBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | $73,229 | Not available | -12% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | University of California, BerkeleyBachelor's Degree | Berkeley, CA | $70,366 | $14,972 | +8% | Positive payoff |
| 11 | Tufts UniversityBachelor's Degree | Medford, MA | $69,037 | Not available | -29% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | William & MaryBachelor's Degree | Williamsburg, VA | $68,909 | $15,250 | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Ramapo College of New JerseyBachelor's Degree | Mahwah, NJ | $68,806 | Not available | -6% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Amherst CollegeBachelor's Degree | Amherst, MA | $68,618 | Not available | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Brigham Young UniversityBachelor's Degree | Provo, UT | $67,310 | $10,236 | -8% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Yale UniversityBachelor's Degree | New Haven, CT | $67,230 | Not available | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Florida State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Tallahassee, FL | $67,110 | Not available | -2% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Barnard CollegeBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $66,117 | $19,000 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | University of Virginia-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Charlottesville, VA | $65,970 | $23,000 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | University of North Carolina at Chapel HillBachelor's Degree | Chapel Hill, NC | $65,933 | $13,000 | -8% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Nevada State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Henderson, NV | $65,406 | $34,213 | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Dartmouth CollegeBachelor's Degree | Hanover, NH | $65,226 | $16,520 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | Colby CollegeBachelor's Degree | Waterville, ME | $64,207 | Not available | -23% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | Dickinson CollegeBachelor's Degree | Carlisle, PA | $63,874 | $19,802 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | New York UniversityBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $62,651 | $19,250 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Iowa State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ames, IA | $61,860 | Not available | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | University of Michigan-DearbornBachelor's Degree | Dearborn, MI | $60,891 | Not available | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Connecticut CollegeBachelor's Degree | New London, CT | $60,749 | $21,220 | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Hobart William Smith CollegesBachelor's Degree | Geneva, NY | $60,381 | $24,250 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Brown UniversityBachelor's Degree | Providence, RI | $59,808 | $12,000 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | University of Maryland-College ParkBachelor's Degree | College Park, MD | $59,469 | $22,250 | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | University of California, Santa BarbaraBachelor's Degree | Santa Barbara, CA | $59,042 | $22,697 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Rutgers University-New BrunswickBachelor's Degree | New Brunswick, NJ | $58,245 | $25,973 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | University of Michigan-Ann ArborBachelor's Degree | Ann Arbor, MI | $58,232 | $16,984 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | University of Puget SoundBachelor's Degree | Tacoma, WA | $57,407 | $27,000 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | The University of Texas at AustinBachelor's Degree | Austin, TX | $57,009 | $22,215 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | University of Washington-Seattle CampusBachelor's Degree | Seattle, WA | $56,926 | $14,922 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | University of Washington-Bothell CampusBachelor's Degree | Bothell, WA | $56,926 | $14,922 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | University of Washington-Tacoma CampusBachelor's Degree | Tacoma, WA | $56,926 | $14,922 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | Middlebury CollegeBachelor's Degree | Middlebury, VT | $56,508 | $11,593 | -62% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | University of Wisconsin-MadisonBachelor's Degree | Madison, WI | $55,733 | $20,850 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | Oberlin CollegeBachelor's Degree | Oberlin, OH | $55,151 | $24,951 | -70% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | Brandeis UniversityBachelor's Degree | Waltham, MA | $54,306 | $26,000 | -71% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | University of OregonBachelor's Degree | Eugene, OR | $54,279 | $20,251 | -65% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignBachelor's Degree | Champaign, IL | $54,187 | $22,050 | -61% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | Utah State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Logan, UT | $53,200 | $13,000 | -66% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | California State University, NorthridgeBachelor's Degree | Northridge, CA | $53,077 | Not available | -61% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | University of California, Los AngelesBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $51,755 | $17,746 | -71% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | Smith CollegeBachelor's Degree | Northampton, MA | $51,131 | $19,000 | -79% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | California State University, FullertonBachelor's Degree | Fullerton, CA | $50,739 | $17,500 | -72% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | University at AlbanyBachelor's Degree | Albany, NY | $50,572 | $22,305 | -78% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | California State University, Long BeachBachelor's Degree | Long Beach, CA | $50,071 | $15,697 | -77% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | DePaul UniversityBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $49,872 | $24,500 | -84% | Negative payoff |
| 54 | University of ArizonaBachelor's Degree | Tucson, AZ | $48,162 | $24,500 | -87% | Negative payoff |
| 55 | University of ConnecticutBachelor's Degree | Storrs, CT | $48,093 | Not available | -89% | Negative payoff |
| 56 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusBachelor's Degree | Waterbury, CT | $48,093 | Not available | -86% | Negative payoff |
| 57 | University of Connecticut-Avery PointBachelor's Degree | Groton, CT | $48,093 | Not available | -87% | Negative payoff |
| 58 | University of Connecticut-StamfordBachelor's Degree | Stamford, CT | $48,093 | Not available | -87% | Negative payoff |
| 59 | University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | $48,093 | Not available | -87% | Negative payoff |
| 60 | St Olaf CollegeBachelor's Degree | Northfield, MN | $47,677 | $21,000 | -90% | Negative payoff |
| 61 | Virginia Commonwealth UniversityBachelor's Degree | Richmond, VA | $45,852 | $23,500 | -97% | Negative payoff |
| 62 | Millersville University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | Millersville, PA | $45,749 | $24,982 | -97% | Negative payoff |
| 63 | University of Hawaii at ManoaBachelor's Degree | Honolulu, HI | $43,806 | $25,000 | -105% | Negative payoff |
| 64 | Williams CollegeBachelor's Degree | Williamstown, MA | $43,501 | Not available | -106% | Negative payoff |
| 65 | University of IowaBachelor's Degree | Iowa City, IA | $43,083 | $27,000 | -107% | Negative payoff |
| 66 | California State University, ChicoBachelor's Degree | Chico, CA | $41,818 | $16,375 | -113% | Negative payoff |
| 67 | Western Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bellingham, WA | $40,623 | $15,655 | -117% | Negative payoff |
| 68 | University of California, RiversideBachelor's Degree | Riverside, CA | $39,039 | Not available | -125% | Negative payoff |
| 69 | University of New Mexico-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Albuquerque, NM | $37,949 | $19,250 | -129% | Negative payoff |
| 70 | Florida International UniversityBachelor's Degree | Miami, FL | $23,742 | $21,544 | -198% | Negative payoff |
| 71 | University of California, DavisBachelor's Degree | Davis, CA | Not available | $14,167 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $14,741 |
| 72 | University of California, San DiegoBachelor's Degree | La Jolla, CA | Not available | $11,300 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $12,470 |
| 73 | American UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | Not available | $27,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $41,943 |
| 74 | George Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | Not available | $25,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $36,586 |
| 75 | Indiana University-BloomingtonBachelor's Degree | Bloomington, IN | Not available | $21,710 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $16,264 |
| 76 | University of Maryland-Baltimore CountyBachelor's Degree | Baltimore, MD | Not available | $26,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $16,467 |
| 77 | Wellesley CollegeBachelor's Degree | Wellesley, MA | Not available | $9,525 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $25,496 |
| 78 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State HarrisburgBachelor's Degree | Middletown, PA | Not available | $27,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $23,330 |
| 79 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State BrandywineBachelor's Degree | Media, PA | Not available | $27,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $22,585 |
| 80 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | University Park, PA | Not available | $27,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $32,875 |
| 81 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State AbingtonBachelor's Degree | Abington, PA | Not available | $27,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $18,071 |
| 82 | Temple UniversityBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | Not available | $25,028 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $28,198 |
| 83 | University of South Carolina-ColumbiaBachelor's Degree | Columbia, SC | Not available | $20,125 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $22,811 |
| 84 | University of RichmondBachelor's Degree | University of Richmond, VA | Not available | $19,750 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $31,309 |
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.