Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 1 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$79,730 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.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
42.6 yrsModeled economic break-even
−77%Modeled 10-year ROI
$47,446Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$47,446Median reported earnings · year 4
Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
48thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
1Reporting programs
1With 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
- $41,066
- Federal debt
- $12,363
- Reporting programs
- 1
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $47,446
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $55,659
- Federal debt
- $25,256
- Reporting programs
- 51
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $67,447
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $65,918
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 26
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$47,446National median$47,44675th percentile$47,446
1 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.
1 matchesShowing up to 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →See the spread, not just the national number.
1Nassau Community College$47,446Observed 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.
Dietitians and NutritionistsSOC 29-1031 · 4 crosswalk linksFamily and Consumer Sciences Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1192 · 4 crosswalk linksCooks, Institution and CafeteriaSOC 35-2012 · 1 crosswalk linksDietetic TechniciansSOC 29-2051 · 1 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersSOC 35-1012 · 1 crosswalk linksFood Service ManagersSOC 11-9051 · 1 crosswalk links
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 | Nassau Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Garden City, NY | $47,446 | Not available | -77% | 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.