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ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4506

Economics: is this associate's degree worth it?

National picture across 3 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff

+$44,835 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.

This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.

7.0 yrsModeled economic break-even

+42%Modeled 10-year ROI

$60,076Observed 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

$60,076Median reported earnings · year 4

Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

73thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

3Reporting programs

3With 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.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $101,310
Federal debt: $22,625
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $60,076
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 3

3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $79,468
Federal debt: $22,907
Reporting programs: 390

369 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $104,085
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 22

22 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $97,632
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$44,686National median$60,07675th percentile$60,076

3 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1West Valley College$72,333 2Diablo Valley College$60,076 3Los Angeles Valley College$44,686

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.

Economics Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1063 · 6 crosswalk linksEconomistsSOC 19-3011 · 6 crosswalk linksManagers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 6 crosswalk linksSocial Science Research AssistantsSOC 19-4061 · 4 crosswalk linksSurvey ResearchersSOC 19-3022 · 2 crosswalk linksData ScientistsSOC 15-2051 · 1 crosswalk linksMarket Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsSOC 13-1161 · 1 crosswalk linksSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2031 · 1 crosswalk linksStatisticiansSOC 15-2041 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR ECONOMICS

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	West Valley CollegeAssociate's Degree	Saratoga, CA	$72,333	Not available	+182%	Strong payoff
2	Diablo Valley CollegeAssociate's Degree	Pleasant Hill, CA	$60,076	Not available	+41%	Positive payoff
3	Los Angeles Valley CollegeAssociate's Degree	Valley Glen, CA	$44,686	Not available	-103%	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.