Community Organization and Advocacy: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 12 reporting college programs.
−$131,287 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.
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
- $47,136
- Federal debt
- $5,988
- Reporting programs
- 1
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $42,552
- Federal debt
- $13,805
- Reporting programs
- 12
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $51,066
- Federal debt
- $29,566
- Reporting programs
- 27
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $63,839
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 10
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.
1CUNY Bronx Community College$58,7392Empire State University$55,0843Finger Lakes Community College$52,9704Des Moines Area Community College$49,8865CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College$43,7066Washtenaw Community College$42,5527SUNY Corning Community College$41,2238Genesee Community College$40,8089Niagara County Community College$39,68010Ulster County Community College$37,445Observed 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 | CUNY Bronx Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bronx, NY | $58,739 | $5,500 | +39% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | Empire State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Saratoga Springs, NY | $55,084 | $28,623 | -11% | Negative payoff |
| 3 | Finger Lakes Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Canandaigua, NY | $52,970 | Not available | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | Des Moines Area Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Ankeny, IA | $49,886 | $23,320 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | New York, NY | $43,706 | $7,860 | -113% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | Washtenaw Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Ann Arbor, MI | $42,552 | $22,500 | -125% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | SUNY Corning Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Corning, NY | $41,223 | Not available | -136% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Genesee Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Batavia, NY | $40,808 | $17,250 | -139% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Niagara County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Sanborn, NY | $39,680 | $12,074 | -151% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Ulster County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Stone Ridge, NY | $37,445 | $9,206 | -175% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | North Country Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Saranac Lake, NY | $31,604 | Not available | -218% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Jefferson Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Watertown, NY | Not available | $13,805 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $11,923 |
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.