Carpenters: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?
National picture across 14 reporting college programs.
$42,787 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.
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.
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.
1Western Iowa Tech Community College$62,4972North Bennet Street School$59,1013Des Moines Area Community College$50,3494Madison Area Technical College$45,3715Western Technical College$44,8606Alexandria Technical & Community College$44,0537Fort Hays Tech North Central$43,5228St Cloud Technical and Community College$42,0529Kansas City Kansas Community College$40,44610City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College$37,726Observed 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. 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 | Western Iowa Tech Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Sioux City, IA | $62,497 | Not available | Baseline needed | $8,770 |
| 2 | North Bennet Street SchoolUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Boston, MA | $59,101 | $15,560 | Baseline needed | $27,251 |
| 3 | Des Moines Area Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Ankeny, IA | $50,349 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,171 |
| 4 | Madison Area Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Madison, WI | $45,371 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,238 |
| 5 | Western Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | La Crosse, WI | $44,860 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,008 |
| 6 | Alexandria Technical & Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Alexandria, MN | $44,053 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,691 |
| 7 | Fort Hays Tech North CentralUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Beloit, KS | $43,522 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,393 |
| 8 | St Cloud Technical and Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Saint Cloud, MN | $42,052 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,635 |
| 9 | Kansas City Kansas Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Kansas City, KS | $40,446 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,744 |
| 10 | City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Chicago, IL | $37,726 | $13,175 | Baseline needed | $9,494 |
| 11 | Tulsa Technology CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Tulsa, OK | $36,714 | Not available | Baseline needed | $5,723 |
| 12 | Orleans Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Philadelphia, PA | $32,136 | $7,521 | Baseline needed | $20,113 |
| 13 | Atlanta Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Atlanta, GA | $30,791 | $10,646 | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 14 | Ocean County Vocational-Technical SchoolUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Toms River, NJ | $26,841 | Not available | Baseline needed | $10,828 |
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.