Education, General: is this graduate/professional certificate worth it?
National picture across 8 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$68,300 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.
$68,300Median year-4 earnings
$19,097Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$68,300Median reported earnings · year 4
$63,697Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
38thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
8Reporting programs
8With 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
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $58,162
- Federal debt
- $14,250
- Reporting programs
- 2
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $42,127
- Federal debt
- $11,025
- Reporting programs
- 34
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $49,250
- Federal debt
- $26,525
- Reporting programs
- 88
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $60,429
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $63,909
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 217
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $95,543
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 36
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $83,429
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,300
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 8
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $62,656
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 12
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$51,856National median$68,30075th percentile$74,809
8 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.
8 matchesShowing up to 25 currently operating colleges
1Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$82,596Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$19,0662University of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, AL · PublicYear-4 earnings$78,653Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$18,7493Walden UniversityMinneapolis, MN · Private for-profitYear-4 earnings$74,809Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$33,8174University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA · PublicYear-4 earnings$72,416Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$16,1095California State University, FresnoFresno, CA · PublicYear-4 earnings$64,183Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$7,0006Northcentral UniversitySan Diego, CA · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$61,131Federal debtNot availableAnnual net priceNot available7Jackson State UniversityJackson, MS · PublicYear-4 earnings$51,856Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$23,8368Colorado Mesa UniversityGrand Junction, CO · PublicYear-4 earnings$49,139Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$15,103
Open the full program search →See the spread, not just the national number.
1Harvard University$82,5962University of Alabama at Birmingham$78,6533Walden University$74,8094University of California, Santa Barbara$72,4165California State University, Fresno$64,1836Northcentral University$61,1317Jackson State University$51,8568Colorado Mesa University$49,139Observed 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 linksTeaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special EducationSOC 25-9042 · 1 crosswalk linksTeaching Assistants, Special EducationSOC 25-9043 · 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 | Harvard UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Cambridge, MA | $82,596 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,066 |
| 2 | University of Alabama at BirminghamGraduate/Professional Certificate | Birmingham, AL | $78,653 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,749 |
| 3 | Walden UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Minneapolis, MN | $74,809 | Not available | Baseline needed | $33,817 |
| 4 | University of California, Santa BarbaraGraduate/Professional Certificate | Santa Barbara, CA | $72,416 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,109 |
| 5 | California State University, FresnoGraduate/Professional Certificate | Fresno, CA | $64,183 | Not available | Baseline needed | $7,000 |
| 6 | Northcentral UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | San Diego, CA | $61,131 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 7 | Jackson State UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Jackson, MS | $51,856 | Not available | Baseline needed | $23,836 |
| 8 | Colorado Mesa UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Grand Junction, CO | $49,139 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,103 |
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.