Dispute Resolution: is this master's degree worth it?
National picture across 6 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$77,813 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.
$77,813Median year-4 earnings
$29,308Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Four useful answers about Dispute Resolution
How much do Dispute Resolution master's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $77,813 four years after completion across reportable master's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
A national median federal-debt figure is not reportable for this degree in the current release.
Does the college matter for Dispute Resolution?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $73,611 to $79,798 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Dispute Resolution?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 4 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
Observed national outcomes
$77,813Median reported earnings · year 4
$84,869Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
50thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
5IPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
6With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 1 matched college records and is not extrapolated to colleges without a match.
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
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- Not available
- Federal debt
- $21,250
- Reporting programs
- 1
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $77,813
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 6
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $66,910
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $95,860
- 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$73,611National median$77,81375th percentile$79,798
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.
PRICE × EARNINGS MAP
Where colleges sit for this exact degree
Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.
$94,256Observed year-4 earnings$59,311
Pepperdine University$58,098 price · $110,166 earningsUniversity of Southern California$32,740 price · $94,256 earningsCreighton University$31,568 price · $79,798 earningsDominican University$11,745 price · $75,828 earningsColumbia University in the City of New York$21,590 price · $73,611 earningsUniversity of North Carolina Wilmington$20,109 price · $59,311 earnings
$11,745Annual college-wide average net price$32,740
Put the same degree side by side.
Start with the leading reportable programs, then change the selection to match your shortlist.
Compare 3 programs →Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Narrow one field and credential by location, sector and debt, then compare two to four programs side by side.
6 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Pepperdine University$110,1662University of Southern California$94,2563Creighton University$79,7984Dominican University$75,8285Columbia University in the City of New York$73,6116University of North Carolina Wilmington$59,311Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations, wages and demand
Official CIP–SOC links show where this field can lead. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same occupation.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Law Teachers, Postsecondary$128,500 median wage20,060 U.S. jobs · SOC 25-1112+2.6% projected employment, 2025–35 · 1.8k annual openingsTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$64,250–$287,900 10th–90th percentileBusiness Teachers, Postsecondary$99,080 median wage82,150 U.S. jobs · SOC 25-1011+5.9% projected employment, 2025–35 · 7.6k annual openingsTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$47,180–$209,470 10th–90th percentileLabor Relations Specialists$95,420 median wage64,810 U.S. jobs · SOC 13-1075+2.1% projected employment, 2025–35 · 4.8k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$50,490–$156,180 10th–90th percentileArbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators$75,530 median wage9,210 U.S. jobs · SOC 23-1022+4.7% projected employment, 2025–35 · 0.3k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$47,220–$155,440 10th–90th percentile
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 employment projections. Career context is separate from graduate outcomes.
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 | Pepperdine UniversityMaster's Degree | Malibu, CA | $110,166 | Not available | Baseline needed | $58,098 |
| 2 | University of Southern CaliforniaMaster's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $94,256 | Not available | Baseline needed | $32,740 |
| 3 | Creighton UniversityMaster's Degree | Omaha, NE | $79,798 | Not available | Baseline needed | $31,568 |
| 4 | Dominican UniversityMaster's Degree | River Forest, IL | $75,828 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,745 |
| 5 | Columbia University in the City of New YorkMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $73,611 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,590 |
| 6 | University of North Carolina WilmingtonMaster's Degree | Wilmington, NC | $59,311 | Not available | Baseline needed | $20,109 |
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.