History: is this master's degree worth it?
National picture across 36 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$56,361 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.
$56,361Median year-4 earnings
$20,450Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$56,361Median reported earnings · year 4
$60,659Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
7thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
36Reporting programs
36With 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
- Not available
- Federal debt
- $24,637
- Reporting programs
- 1
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $45,336
- Federal debt
- $15,230
- Reporting programs
- 6
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $50,592
- Federal debt
- $24,000
- Reporting programs
- 506
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- Not available
- Federal debt
- $22,125
- Reporting programs
- 1
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $56,361
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 36
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $76,907
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 6
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $61,512
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
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$48,794National median$56,36175th percentile$64,587
36 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Columbia University in the City of New York$72,3062Ashland University$70,5223Norwich University$70,2114American University$68,2965California State University, Fullerton$67,6756Colorado State University-Fort Collins$67,5707Simmons University$66,9868Boston College$66,7879Arizona State University Campus Immersion$64,58710Arizona State University Digital Immersion$64,587Observed 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.
HistoriansSOC 19-3093 · 9 crosswalk linksHistory Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1125 · 9 crosswalk linksManagers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 9 crosswalk linksSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2031 · 2 crosswalk linksArchivistsSOC 25-4011 · 1 crosswalk linksCuratorsSOC 25-4012 · 1 crosswalk linksMuseum Technicians and ConservatorsSOC 25-4013 · 1 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 1 crosswalk linksTour Guides and EscortsSOC 39-7011 · 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 | Columbia University in the City of New YorkMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $72,306 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,590 |
| 2 | Ashland UniversityMaster's Degree | Ashland, OH | $70,522 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,988 |
| 3 | Norwich UniversityMaster's Degree | Northfield, VT | $70,211 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,257 |
| 4 | American UniversityMaster's Degree | Washington, DC | $68,296 | Not available | Baseline needed | $41,943 |
| 5 | California State University, FullertonMaster's Degree | Fullerton, CA | $67,675 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,555 |
| 6 | Colorado State University-Fort CollinsMaster's Degree | Fort Collins, CO | $67,570 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,279 |
| 7 | Simmons UniversityMaster's Degree | Boston, MA | $66,986 | Not available | Baseline needed | $25,265 |
| 8 | Boston CollegeMaster's Degree | Chestnut Hill, MA | $66,787 | Not available | Baseline needed | $41,704 |
| 9 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionMaster's Degree | Tempe, AZ | $64,587 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,967 |
| 10 | Arizona State University Digital ImmersionMaster's Degree | Scottsdale, AZ | $64,587 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 11 | American Public University SystemMaster's Degree | Charles Town, WV | $63,247 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,597 |
| 12 | Monmouth UniversityMaster's Degree | West Long Branch, NJ | $62,596 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,988 |
| 13 | University of Nebraska at KearneyMaster's Degree | Kearney, NE | $62,153 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,242 |
| 14 | George Mason UniversityMaster's Degree | Fairfax, VA | $59,751 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,915 |
| 15 | Liberty UniversityMaster's Degree | Lynchburg, VA | $59,708 | Not available | Baseline needed | $29,357 |
| 16 | Rutgers University-CamdenMaster's Degree | Camden, NJ | $56,792 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,745 |
| 17 | Rutgers University-New BrunswickMaster's Degree | New Brunswick, NJ | $56,792 | Not available | Baseline needed | $24,406 |
| 18 | Rutgers University-NewarkMaster's Degree | Newark, NJ | $56,792 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,703 |
| 19 | Central Connecticut State UniversityMaster's Degree | New Britain, CT | $55,930 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,857 |
| 20 | Southern New Hampshire UniversityMaster's Degree | Manchester, NH | $54,961 | Not available | Baseline needed | $36,708 |
| 21 | Sam Houston State UniversityMaster's Degree | Huntsville, TX | $54,943 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,404 |
| 22 | California State University, SacramentoMaster's Degree | Sacramento, CA | $53,415 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,338 |
| 23 | North Carolina State University at RaleighMaster's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $52,658 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,303 |
| 24 | University of Massachusetts-BostonMaster's Degree | Boston, MA | $52,407 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,707 |
| 25 | University of North Carolina at CharlotteMaster's Degree | Charlotte, NC | $52,245 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,435 |
| 26 | Slippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaMaster's Degree | Slippery Rock, PA | $49,768 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,608 |
| 27 | Wright State University-Main CampusMaster's Degree | Dayton, OH | $48,916 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,415 |
| 28 | Texas State UniversityMaster's Degree | San Marcos, TX | $48,794 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,805 |
| 29 | Bowling Green State University-Main CampusMaster's Degree | Bowling Green, OH | $48,787 | Not available | Baseline needed | $24,022 |
| 30 | University of North Carolina WilmingtonMaster's Degree | Wilmington, NC | $48,402 | Not available | Baseline needed | $20,109 |
| 31 | West Virginia UniversityMaster's Degree | Morgantown, WV | $47,971 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,634 |
| 32 | Middle Tennessee State UniversityMaster's Degree | Murfreesboro, TN | $47,898 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,359 |
| 33 | Eastern Illinois UniversityMaster's Degree | Charleston, IL | $45,346 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,786 |
| 34 | University of North Carolina at GreensboroMaster's Degree | Greensboro, NC | $45,003 | Not available | Baseline needed | $10,965 |
| 35 | University of Missouri-St LouisMaster's Degree | Saint Louis, MO | $44,457 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,071 |
| 36 | Duquesne UniversityMaster's Degree | Pittsburgh, PA | $44,130 | Not available | Baseline needed | $37,730 |
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.