Biology, General: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 53 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$104,743 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.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
549.9 yrsModeled economic break-even
−98%Modeled 10-year ROI
$45,194Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$45,194Median reported earnings · year 4
$43,540Average reported earnings · year 5
$10,385Median federal debt
41thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
53Reporting programs
47With 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
- $55,777
- Federal debt
- $22,505
- Reporting programs
- 3
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $45,194
- Federal debt
- $10,385
- Reporting programs
- 53
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $57,546
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Reporting programs
- 1,010
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $71,655
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 58
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $108,206
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 14
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $74,001
- 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$37,949National median$45,19475th percentile$48,980
47 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Long Beach City College$62,8492Black Hills State University$60,3493St Philip's College$59,7444Houston City College$58,8465Delaware Technical Community College-Terry$54,7886Austin Community College District$54,3637San Antonio College$51,4248Blinn College District$50,9459College of Western Idaho$50,65810San Diego City College$50,465Observed 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.
Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1042 · 2 crosswalk linksBiological TechniciansSOC 19-4021 · 2 crosswalk linksAgricultural TechniciansSOC 19-4012 · 1 crosswalk linksBiological Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1029 · 1 crosswalk linksFood Science TechniciansSOC 19-4013 · 1 crosswalk linksForensic Science TechniciansSOC 19-4092 · 1 crosswalk linksLife Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1099 · 1 crosswalk linksMedical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsSOC 19-1042 · 1 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 1 crosswalk linksSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2031 · 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 | Long Beach City CollegeAssociate's Degree | Long Beach, CA | $62,849 | Not available | +74% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | Black Hills State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Spearfish, SD | $60,349 | $14,625 | +26% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | St Philip's CollegeAssociate's Degree | San Antonio, TX | $59,744 | $12,718 | +50% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | Houston City CollegeAssociate's Degree | Houston, TX | $58,846 | $11,005 | +36% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | Delaware Technical Community College-TerryAssociate's Degree | Dover, DE | $54,788 | Not available | -13% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | Austin Community College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Austin, TX | $54,363 | $13,375 | -9% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | San Antonio CollegeAssociate's Degree | San Antonio, TX | $51,424 | $9,500 | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Blinn College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Brenham, TX | $50,945 | Not available | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | College of Western IdahoAssociate's Degree | Nampa, ID | $50,658 | $20,993 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | San Diego City CollegeAssociate's Degree | San Diego, CA | $50,465 | $9,500 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | San Diego Mesa CollegeAssociate's Degree | San Diego, CA | $49,919 | $7,611 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Mott Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Flint, MI | $49,548 | $13,250 | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | San Diego Miramar CollegeAssociate's Degree | San Diego, CA | $48,980 | $6,500 | -59% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Salt Lake Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Salt Lake City, UT | $48,740 | Not available | -66% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Fresno City CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fresno, CA | $48,660 | $6,625 | -66% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Rowan College of South Jersey-Cumberland CampusAssociate's Degree | Vineland, NJ | $48,136 | $9,500 | -72% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester CampusAssociate's Degree | Sewell, NJ | $48,136 | $9,500 | -73% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Northampton County Area Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bethlehem, PA | $47,519 | $17,250 | -78% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Northwest Vista CollegeAssociate's Degree | San Antonio, TX | $47,186 | $10,708 | -78% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Connors State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Warner, OK | $47,041 | Not available | -82% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | University of Cincinnati-Main CampusAssociate's Degree | Cincinnati, OH | $45,916 | $17,032 | -94% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | University of Cincinnati-Clermont CollegeAssociate's Degree | Batavia, OH | $45,916 | $17,032 | -92% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash CollegeAssociate's Degree | Blue Ash, OH | $45,916 | $17,032 | -93% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | Reedley CollegeAssociate's Degree | Reedley, CA | $45,194 | $6,500 | -98% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | College of Southern NevadaAssociate's Degree | Las Vegas, NV | $44,428 | $10,061 | -106% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Monroe Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Rochester, NY | $44,319 | Not available | -107% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | CUNY LaGuardia Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Long Island City, NY | $44,031 | Not available | -109% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Sinclair Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Dayton, OH | $43,697 | $11,854 | -113% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | College of Southern IdahoAssociate's Degree | Twin Falls, ID | $43,435 | Not available | -115% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Antelope Valley Community College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Lancaster, CA | $42,705 | Not available | -123% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | Amarillo CollegeAssociate's Degree | Amarillo, TX | $41,250 | Not available | -138% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Georgia Military CollegeAssociate's Degree | Milledgeville, GA | $40,539 | $9,873 | -136% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | CUNY Kingsborough Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Brooklyn, NY | $40,533 | $9,241 | -144% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | Holyoke Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Holyoke, MA | $39,198 | $5,300 | -155% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | Ozarks Technical Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Springfield, MO | $38,065 | Not available | -167% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Tyler Junior CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tyler, TX | $37,949 | Not available | -164% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | Oklahoma City Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Oklahoma City, OK | $37,495 | $9,017 | -175% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | South Texas CollegeAssociate's Degree | McAllen, TX | $37,289 | $6,602 | -182% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | Clark CollegeAssociate's Degree | Vancouver, WA | $37,011 | Not available | -171% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | St Charles Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Cottleville, MO | $36,428 | Not available | -184% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | Laredo CollegeAssociate's Degree | Laredo, TX | $35,009 | Not available | -198% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | Essex County CollegeAssociate's Degree | Newark, NJ | $34,961 | Not available | -202% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | Itawamba Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fulton, MS | $32,396 | Not available | -227% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | Texas State Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Waco, TX | $32,026 | $10,913 | -211% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | El Paso Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | El Paso, TX | $31,657 | $9,000 | -238% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | Copiah-Lincoln Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Wesson, MS | $26,921 | Not available | -285% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Perkinston, MS | $26,429 | Not available | -279% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | Allen County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Iola, KS | Not available | $12,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $8,642 |
| 49 | Bristol Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fall River, MA | Not available | $11,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $5,547 |
| 50 | Northern Essex Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Haverhill, MA | Not available | $6,239 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $6,046 |
| 51 | Quinsigamond Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Worcester, MA | Not available | $14,125 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $9,090 |
| 52 | Union Adventist UniversityAssociate's Degree | Lincoln, NE | Not available | $30,875 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $23,716 |
| 53 | UCNJ Union College of Union County New JerseyAssociate's Degree | Cranford, NJ | Not available | $8,297 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $8,257 |
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.