Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?
National picture across 30 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$49,524 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.
$49,524Median year-4 earnings
$19,061Average institution net-price context
$11,588Median federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$49,524Median reported earnings · year 4
$48,386Average reported earnings · year 5
$11,588Median federal debt
48thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
30Reporting programs
25With 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.
CURRENT VIEW
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $49,524
- Federal debt
- $11,588
- Reporting programs
- 30
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $55,935
- Federal debt
- $21,874
- Reporting programs
- 103
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $73,884
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Reporting programs
- 49
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $92,609
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 13
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $91,271
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 10
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $54,763
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
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$47,754National median$49,52475th percentile$56,403
25 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Bunker Hill Community College$68,0142Front Range Community College$64,0443Dallas College$60,9934College of DuPage$59,0925Austin Community College District$56,5206P C Age-Jersey City$56,4037PC AGE-Metropark$56,4038Henry Ford College$55,8689Western Dakota Technical College$53,18510Porter & Chester Institute$51,748Observed 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.
Computer Network ArchitectsSOC 15-1241 · 2 crosswalk linksComputer Network Support SpecialistsSOC 15-1231 · 2 crosswalk linksComputer Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1021 · 2 crosswalk linksComputer ProgrammersSOC 15-1251 · 1 crosswalk linksComputer Systems AnalystsSOC 15-1211 · 1 crosswalk linksComputer and Information Research ScientistsSOC 15-1221 · 1 crosswalk linksComputer and Information Systems ManagersSOC 11-3021 · 1 crosswalk linksDatabase ArchitectsSOC 15-1243 · 1 crosswalk linksInformation Security AnalystsSOC 15-1212 · 1 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 1 crosswalk linksSoftware DevelopersSOC 15-1252 · 1 crosswalk links
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 | Bunker Hill Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Boston, MA | $68,014 | Not available | Baseline needed | $7,818 |
| 2 | Front Range Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Westminster, CO | $64,044 | $18,875 | Baseline needed | $13,031 |
| 3 | Dallas CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Dallas, TX | $60,993 | $13,669 | Baseline needed | $3,214 |
| 4 | College of DuPageUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Glen Ellyn, IL | $59,092 | $6,680 | Baseline needed | $7,401 |
| 5 | Austin Community College DistrictUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Austin, TX | $56,520 | $15,729 | Baseline needed | $6,390 |
| 6 | P C Age-Jersey CityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Jersey City, NJ | $56,403 | $13,000 | Baseline needed | $22,098 |
| 7 | PC AGE-MetroparkUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Iselin, NJ | $56,403 | $13,000 | Baseline needed | $19,952 |
| 8 | Henry Ford CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Dearborn, MI | $55,868 | $12,464 | Baseline needed | $660 |
| 9 | Western Dakota Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Rapid City, SD | $53,185 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,670 |
| 10 | Porter & Chester InstituteUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Bridgeport, CT | $51,748 | $13,910 | Baseline needed | $18,348 |
| 11 | MyComputerCareer at ColumbusUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Columbus, OH | $51,632 | $9,500 | Baseline needed | $25,970 |
| 12 | MyComputerCareer at IndianapolisUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Indianapolis, IN | $50,496 | $9,500 | Baseline needed | $26,182 |
| 13 | MyComputerCareer at RaleighUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Raleigh, NC | $49,524 | $9,500 | Baseline needed | $26,528 |
| 14 | Ozarks Technical Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Springfield, MO | $49,441 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,936 |
| 15 | Lincoln Technical Institute-IselinUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Iselin, NJ | $48,146 | $11,588 | Baseline needed | $37,819 |
| 16 | Lincoln Technical Institute-MoorestownUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Moorestown, NJ | $48,146 | $11,588 | Baseline needed | $39,141 |
| 17 | Lincoln Technical Institute-ParamusUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Paramus, NJ | $48,146 | $11,588 | Baseline needed | $41,121 |
| 18 | Saint Louis Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Bridgeton, MO | $47,850 | Not available | Baseline needed | $8,440 |
| 19 | CyberTex Institute of TechnologyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Austin, TX | $47,754 | $7,917 | Baseline needed | $33,163 |
| 20 | Wichita Technical InstituteUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Wichita, KS | $43,454 | $18,250 | Baseline needed | $18,793 |
| 21 | Tulsa Technology CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Tulsa, OK | $41,609 | Not available | Baseline needed | $5,723 |
| 22 | Crowder CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Neosho, MO | $36,561 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,023 |
| 23 | Sheridan Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Hollywood, FL | $34,964 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,677 |
| 24 | Emerald Coast Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | DeFuniak Springs, FL | $32,347 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,093 |
| 25 | Associated Technical College-Los AngelesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Los Angeles, CA | $27,760 | $9,500 | Baseline needed | $23,629 |
| 26 | Intellitec College-Colorado SpringsUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Colorado Springs, CO | Not available | $10,607 | Baseline needed | $30,716 |
| 27 | Intellitec College-Grand JunctionUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Grand Junction, CO | Not available | $11,250 | Baseline needed | $19,216 |
| 28 | Quinsigamond Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Worcester, MA | Not available | $17,500 | Baseline needed | $9,090 |
| 29 | FVI School of Nursing and TechnologyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Miami, FL | Not available | $9,499 | Baseline needed | $35,514 |
| 30 | DsdtUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Detroit, MI | Not available | $14,206 | Baseline needed | 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.