Construction Management: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 8 reporting college programs.
+$155,086 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.
Observed earnings clearly outpace the comparison earnings and estimated education cost in this scenario.
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.
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $72,619
- Federal debt
- $20,000
- Reporting programs
- 8
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $93,431
- Federal debt
- $24,750
- Reporting programs
- 58
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $103,041
- Federal debt
- $24,500
- Reporting programs
- 1
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $113,383
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 8
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $150,891
- 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.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Weber State University$99,3752San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia$79,6633San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario$79,6634Baton Rouge Community College$72,6195Kirkwood Community College$64,9176Minnesota State Community and Technical College$57,6987Gwinnett Technical College$47,8268ITI Technical CollegeNot availableObserved 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 | Weber State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Ogden, UT | $99,375 | $18,260 | +392% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | San Joaquin Valley College-VisaliaAssociate's Degree | Visalia, CA | $79,663 | $20,000 | +138% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | San Joaquin Valley College-OntarioAssociate's Degree | Ontario, CA | $79,663 | $20,000 | +141% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | Baton Rouge Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Baton Rouge, LA | $72,619 | $12,008 | +154% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Kirkwood Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Cedar Rapids, IA | $64,917 | Not available | +82% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | Minnesota State Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fergus Falls, MN | $57,698 | Not available | +10% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | Gwinnett Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Lawrenceville, GA | $47,826 | $21,048 | -73% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | ITI Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Baton Rouge, LA | Not available | $22,565 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $20,850 |
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.