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ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4504

Criminology: is this associate's degree worth it?

National picture across 2 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$98,081 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.

237.6 yrsModeled economic break-even

−96%Modeled 10-year ROI

$45,431Observed earnings · year 4

Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$45,431Median reported earnings · year 4

$49,689Average reported earnings · year 5

$22,744Median federal debt

43thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

2Reporting programs

2With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

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

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $45,431
Federal debt: $22,744
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $55,621
Federal debt: $25,000
Reporting programs: 126

119 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $67,163
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 15

15 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $73,972
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

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$44,516National median$45,43175th percentile$44,516

2 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Central New Mexico Community College$46,346 2Purdue University Global$44,516

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1111 · 1 crosswalk linksLife, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherSOC 19-4099 · 1 crosswalk linksManagers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 1 crosswalk linksPsychologists, All OtherSOC 19-3039 · 1 crosswalk linksSociologistsSOC 19-3041 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR CRIMINOLOGY

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	Central New Mexico Community CollegeAssociate's Degree	Albuquerque, NM	$46,346	Not available	-86%	Negative payoff
2	Purdue University GlobalAssociate's Degree	West Lafayette, IN	$44,516	$22,744	-105%	Negative payoff

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.