Curriculum and Instruction: is this graduate/professional certificate worth it?
National picture across 6 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$68,198 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.
$68,198Median year-4 earnings
$20,967Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$68,198Median reported earnings · year 4
$71,102Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
37thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
6Reporting programs
6With 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.
OPEN PROFILE
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $46,713
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Reporting programs
- 4
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $60,655
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 198
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $83,569
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 24
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,838
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,198
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 6
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $71,589
- 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$61,141National median$68,19875th percentile$70,924
6 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
Find the colleges that fit your constraints
Keep this exact federal field and credential fixed, then narrow the reporting colleges by location, sector and federal debt.
6 matchesShowing up to 25 currently operating colleges
1Walden UniversityMinneapolis, MN · Private for-profitYear-4 earnings$77,566Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$33,8172University of Maryland-Baltimore CountyBaltimore, MD · PublicYear-4 earnings$71,301Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$16,4673Morehead State UniversityMorehead, KY · PublicYear-4 earnings$70,924Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$9,7934George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA · PublicYear-4 earnings$65,472Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$17,9155University of DenverDenver, CO · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$61,141Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$36,1316Empire State UniversitySaratoga Springs, NY · PublicYear-4 earnings$57,855Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$11,676
Open the full program search →See the spread, not just the national number.
1Walden University$77,5662University of Maryland-Baltimore County$71,3013Morehead State University$70,9244George Mason University$65,4725University of Denver$61,1416Empire State University$57,855Observed 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.
Education Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1081 · 1 crosswalk linksInstructional CoordinatorsSOC 25-9031 · 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 | Walden UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Minneapolis, MN | $77,566 | Not available | Baseline needed | $33,817 |
| 2 | University of Maryland-Baltimore CountyGraduate/Professional Certificate | Baltimore, MD | $71,301 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,467 |
| 3 | Morehead State UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Morehead, KY | $70,924 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,793 |
| 4 | George Mason UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Fairfax, VA | $65,472 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,915 |
| 5 | University of DenverGraduate/Professional Certificate | Denver, CO | $61,141 | Not available | Baseline needed | $36,131 |
| 6 | Empire State UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Saratoga Springs, NY | $57,855 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,676 |
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.