General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 12 reporting college programs.
−$165,627 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.
Observed national outcomes
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.
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $75,332
- Federal debt
- $22,750
- Reporting programs
- 12
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $39,486
- Federal debt
- $17,266
- Reporting programs
- 12
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $74,557
- Federal debt
- $24,649
- Reporting programs
- 30
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $120,018
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 3
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.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Weber State University$86,5632Hawkeye Community College$59,0003Minnesota State Community and Technical College$52,9314Ridgewater College$47,6625Harrisburg Area Community College$44,4696Greenville Technical College$39,4867Wade College$39,0468North Country Community College$38,4979Midlands Technical College$37,29910Lake Land College$36,798Observed 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.
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 | Weber State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Ogden, UT | $86,563 | $17,031 | +276% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Hawkeye Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Waterloo, IA | $59,000 | Not available | +28% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Minnesota State Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fergus Falls, MN | $52,931 | $17,500 | -31% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | Ridgewater CollegeAssociate's Degree | Willmar, MN | $47,662 | Not available | -76% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | Harrisburg Area Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Harrisburg, PA | $44,469 | $21,141 | -104% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | Greenville Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Greenville, SC | $39,486 | $13,953 | -149% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Wade CollegeAssociate's Degree | Dallas, TX | $39,046 | $29,180 | -145% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | North Country Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Saranac Lake, NY | $38,497 | Not available | -157% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Midlands Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | West Columbia, SC | $37,299 | $16,361 | -178% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Lake Land CollegeAssociate's Degree | Mattoon, IL | $36,798 | Not available | -187% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Ameritas CollegeAssociate's Degree | Huntington, WV | $29,609 | $27,833 | -241% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Suffolk County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Selden, NY | Not available | $6,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $5,258 |
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.