Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 27 reporting college programs.
−$286,814 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.
Observed national outcomes
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.
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $33,711
- Federal debt
- $12,547
- Reporting programs
- 16
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $33,442
- Federal debt
- $17,623
- Reporting programs
- 35
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $45,120
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Reporting programs
- 27
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $74,573
- 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.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1American University$75,4612Johns Hopkins University$62,8583Bowie State University$56,8184Elon University$53,1855Vermont State University$51,4096Webster University$50,3597Husson University$48,7778Ithaca College$48,4129New England Institute of Technology$46,99610Rowan University$46,969Observed 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.
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 | American UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $75,461 | $20,980 | -12% | Negative payoff |
| 2 | Johns Hopkins UniversityBachelor's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $62,858 | Not available | -30% | Negative payoff |
| 3 | Bowie State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bowie, MD | $56,818 | $26,000 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | Elon UniversityBachelor's Degree | Elon, NC | $53,185 | Not available | -76% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | Vermont State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Randolph, VT | $51,409 | Not available | -75% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | Webster UniversityBachelor's Degree | Saint Louis, MO | $50,359 | Not available | -81% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Husson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bangor, ME | $48,777 | $27,000 | -86% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Ithaca CollegeBachelor's Degree | Ithaca, NY | $48,412 | Not available | -89% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | New England Institute of TechnologyBachelor's Degree | East Greenwich, RI | $46,996 | $27,170 | -94% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Rowan UniversityBachelor's Degree | Glassboro, NJ | $46,969 | $22,750 | -93% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | St. John's University-New YorkBachelor's Degree | Queens, NY | $46,022 | $27,000 | -97% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | SUNY Buffalo State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Buffalo, NY | $45,120 | $25,469 | -99% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Long Island UniversityBachelor's Degree | Brookville, NY | $44,659 | Not available | -101% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Belmont UniversityBachelor's Degree | Nashville, TN | $44,222 | $24,136 | -102% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Full Sail UniversityBachelor's Degree | Winter Park, FL | $44,012 | $43,000 | -103% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Columbia College ChicagoBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $43,731 | $27,000 | -104% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Ferris State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Big Rapids, MI | $43,507 | $22,481 | -107% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Alabama A&M UniversityBachelor's Degree | Normal, AL | $42,272 | $36,250 | -111% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Savannah College of Art and DesignBachelor's Degree | Savannah, GA | $26,064 | $26,000 | -150% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | University of Puerto Rico-AreciboBachelor's Degree | Arecibo, PR | $22,550 | $5,500 | -201% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Northern Vermont UniversityBachelor's Degree | , | $51,409 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 22 | SAE Expression CollegeBachelor's Degree | , | $50,580 | $40,074 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 23 | The Art Institute of HoustonBachelor's Degree | , | $45,099 | $47,849 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 24 | The Art Institute of AustinBachelor's Degree | , | $45,099 | $47,849 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 25 | The Art Institute of AtlantaBachelor's Degree | , | $41,934 | $41,005 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 26 | AI Miami International University of Art and DesignBachelor's Degree | , | $41,522 | $48,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 27 | Miami International University of Art & Design-Art Institute DallasBachelor's Degree | , | $41,522 | $48,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
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.