Homeland Security: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 37 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$21,787 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
10.9 yrsModeled economic break-even
−9%Modeled 10-year ROI
$67,953Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$67,953Median reported earnings · year 4
$64,012Average reported earnings · year 5
$23,450Median federal debt
59thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
37Reporting programs
34With 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
- $61,324
- Federal debt
- $20,843
- Reporting programs
- 6
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $63,213
- Federal debt
- $21,875
- Reporting programs
- 3
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $67,953
- Federal debt
- $23,450
- Reporting programs
- 37
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $93,686
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 28
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $87,917
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
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$62,846National median$67,95375th percentile$73,703
34 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1George Mason University$143,9722Grand Canyon University$84,5533Utica University$82,7334National University$80,1345Bethel University$79,0796American Public University System$77,1227Waldorf University$76,5208Capella University$76,4469Columbia Southern University$73,70310Columbia College$71,888Observed 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.
Emergency Management DirectorsSOC 11-9161 · 4 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesSOC 33-1012 · 4 crosswalk linksManagers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 4 crosswalk linksCriminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1111 · 2 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All OtherSOC 33-1099 · 1 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersSOC 33-1091 · 1 crosswalk linksPostsecondary Teachers, All OtherSOC 25-1199 · 1 crosswalk linksSpecial ForcesSOC 55-3018 · 1 crosswalk linksSpecial Forces OfficersSOC 55-1017 · 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 | George Mason UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairfax, VA | $143,972 | $21,741 | +293% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Grand Canyon UniversityBachelor's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $84,553 | $28,787 | +47% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Utica UniversityBachelor's Degree | Utica, NY | $82,733 | $27,846 | +47% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | National UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Diego, CA | $80,134 | $23,450 | +29% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | Bethel UniversityBachelor's Degree | McKenzie, TN | $79,079 | $31,919 | +48% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | American Public University SystemBachelor's Degree | Charles Town, WV | $77,122 | $19,552 | +47% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | Waldorf UniversityBachelor's Degree | Forest City, IA | $76,520 | $23,437 | +22% | Positive payoff |
| 8 | Capella UniversityBachelor's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $76,446 | Not available | +25% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | Columbia Southern UniversityBachelor's Degree | Orange Beach, AL | $73,703 | $32,683 | +20% | Positive payoff |
| 10 | Columbia CollegeBachelor's Degree | Columbia, SC | $71,888 | $27,855 | +6% | Positive payoff |
| 11 | University of New Hampshire-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Durham, NH | $71,129 | $23,250 | -5% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | University of New Hampshire at ManchesterBachelor's Degree | Manchester, NH | $71,129 | $23,250 | +19% | Positive payoff |
| 13 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachBachelor's Degree | Daytona Beach, FL | $71,014 | $20,500 | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-WorldwideBachelor's Degree | Daytona Beach, FL | $71,014 | $20,500 | +2% | Positive payoff |
| 15 | University at AlbanyBachelor's Degree | Albany, NY | $69,365 | $23,250 | -2% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | University of Phoenix-ArizonaBachelor's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $68,161 | Not available | -1% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Keiser University-Ft LauderdaleBachelor's Degree | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $67,744 | $49,981 | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Eastern Kentucky UniversityBachelor's Degree | Richmond, KY | $67,096 | $28,343 | -1% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Post UniversityBachelor's Degree | Waterbury, CT | $66,145 | $23,625 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | University of Nebraska at OmahaBachelor's Degree | Omaha, NE | $64,061 | $21,465 | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Oakland UniversityBachelor's Degree | Rochester Hills, MI | $63,858 | $21,500 | -13% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | SUNY College of Technology at CantonBachelor's Degree | Canton, NY | $63,759 | $24,617 | -22% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | University of North TexasBachelor's Degree | Denton, TX | $63,622 | $17,293 | -23% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | New Jersey City UniversityBachelor's Degree | Jersey City, NJ | $63,137 | $14,562 | -26% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Rowan UniversityBachelor's Degree | Glassboro, NJ | $62,846 | Not available | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Campbell UniversityBachelor's Degree | Buies Creek, NC | $62,695 | $23,500 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | North Dakota State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Fargo, ND | $62,649 | $27,000 | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Slippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | Slippery Rock, PA | $60,458 | $26,000 | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Arkansas State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Jonesboro, AR | $58,242 | Not available | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | University of Central MissouriBachelor's Degree | Warrensburg, MO | $54,595 | Not available | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | Ohio Christian UniversityBachelor's Degree | Circleville, OH | $53,626 | Not available | -67% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Arkansas Tech UniversityBachelor's Degree | Russellville, AR | $53,142 | $25,355 | -65% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | University of ArizonaBachelor's Degree | Tucson, AZ | $52,677 | $20,312 | -69% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | University of Alaska FairbanksBachelor's Degree | Fairbanks, AK | Not available | $22,722 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $10,892 |
| 35 | Northwest Missouri State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Maryville, MO | Not available | $25,125 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $16,244 |
| 36 | Roberts Wesleyan UniversityBachelor's Degree | Rochester, NY | Not available | $27,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $23,130 |
| 37 | Union Institute & UniversityBachelor's Degree | , | $153,848 | $15,812 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
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.