Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 13 reporting college programs.
+$40,394 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.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
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
- $39,229
- Federal debt
- $7,521
- Reporting programs
- 37
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $60,948
- Federal debt
- $11,433
- Reporting programs
- 13
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $88,899
- Federal debt
- $24,350
- Reporting programs
- 5
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.
1Portland Community College$93,5972Dunwoody College of Technology$86,5203Wake Technical Community College$81,3194Flint Hills Technical College$74,6025Central Piedmont Community College$71,4136New England Institute of Technology$61,5867Ivy Tech Community College$60,3098Erie Community College$52,7499Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology$51,47710Mitchell Technical College$49,323Observed 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 | Portland Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Portland, OR | $93,597 | Not available | +339% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Dunwoody College of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $86,520 | $18,750 | +189% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | Wake Technical Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $81,319 | Not available | +238% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | Flint Hills Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Emporia, KS | $74,602 | Not available | +143% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Central Piedmont Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Charlotte, NC | $71,413 | Not available | +173% | Strong payoff |
| 6 | New England Institute of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | East Greenwich, RI | $61,586 | Not available | +2% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | Ivy Tech Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Indianapolis, IN | $60,309 | $7,000 | +46% | Positive payoff |
| 8 | Erie Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Buffalo, NY | $52,749 | $8,710 | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Thaddeus Stevens College of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | Lancaster, PA | $51,477 | Not available | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Mitchell Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Mitchell, SD | $49,323 | $10,866 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Pima Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tucson, AZ | $48,216 | Not available | -67% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Lake Area Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Watertown, SD | $47,946 | $12,000 | -76% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Pennsylvania College of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | Williamsport, PA | Not available | $17,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $25,110 |
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.