Education, Other: is this graduate/professional certificate worth it?
National picture across 4 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$90,767 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.
$90,767Median year-4 earnings
$23,214Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$90,767Median reported earnings · year 4
$64,138Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
69thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
4Reporting programs
4With 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
- $36,690
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $39,644
- Federal debt
- $26,539
- Reporting programs
- 3
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $48,653
- Federal debt
- $25,989
- Reporting programs
- 31
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $52,531
- Federal debt
- $19,625
- Reporting programs
- 2
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $65,153
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 33
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $94,581
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 8
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $90,767
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 4
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$50,906National median$90,76775th percentile$98,117
4 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.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Johns Hopkins University$306,7932Endicott College$98,1173Capella University$83,4164University of North Carolina at Charlotte$50,906Observed 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 linksTeachers and Instructors, All OtherSOC 25-3099 · 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 | Johns Hopkins UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Baltimore, MD | $306,793 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,809 |
| 2 | Endicott CollegeGraduate/Professional Certificate | Beverly, MA | $98,117 | Not available | Baseline needed | $40,654 |
| 3 | Capella UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Minneapolis, MN | $83,416 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,956 |
| 4 | University of North Carolina at CharlotteGraduate/Professional Certificate | Charlotte, NC | $50,906 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,435 |
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.