Human Resources Management and Services: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 35 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$57,908 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.
19.5 yrsModeled economic break-even
−49%Modeled 10-year ROI
$51,118Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$51,118Median reported earnings · year 4
$47,121Average reported earnings · year 5
$26,536Median federal debt
57thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
35Reporting programs
35With 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
- $65,674
- Federal debt
- $18,202
- Reporting programs
- 21
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $51,118
- Federal debt
- $26,536
- Reporting programs
- 35
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $67,012
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Reporting programs
- 209
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $79,454
- Federal debt
- $20,250
- Reporting programs
- 3
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $81,091
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 178
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $119,182
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 5
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $66,776
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 22
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $59,962
- 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$49,217National median$51,11875th percentile$60,288
35 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Empire State University$90,6192Waukesha County Technical College$64,5713Clark State College$63,7414Columbus State Community College$62,4755San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia$61,6236Baker College$60,6267Rasmussen University-Florida$60,2888Rasmussen University-Minnesota$60,2889Rasmussen University-North Dakota$60,28810Rasmussen University-Illinois$60,288Observed 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.
Human Resources ManagersSOC 11-3121 · 5 crosswalk linksBusiness Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1011 · 4 crosswalk linksHuman Resources SpecialistsSOC 13-1071 · 4 crosswalk linksCompensation and Benefits ManagersSOC 11-3111 · 3 crosswalk linksLabor Relations SpecialistsSOC 13-1075 · 3 crosswalk linksTraining and Development ManagersSOC 11-3131 · 3 crosswalk linksTraining and Development SpecialistsSOC 13-1151 · 3 crosswalk linksCompliance OfficersSOC 13-1041 · 2 crosswalk linksHuman Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingSOC 43-4161 · 2 crosswalk linksCompensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis SpecialistsSOC 13-1141 · 1 crosswalk linksCounselors, All OtherSOC 21-1019 · 1 crosswalk linksEducational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsSOC 21-1012 · 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 | Empire State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Saratoga Springs, NY | $90,619 | Not available | +302% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Waukesha County Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Pewaukee, WI | $64,571 | $12,307 | +74% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Clark State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Springfield, OH | $63,741 | Not available | +64% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | Columbus State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Columbus, OH | $62,475 | Not available | +64% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | San Joaquin Valley College-VisaliaAssociate's Degree | Visalia, CA | $61,623 | $20,000 | +14% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | Baker CollegeAssociate's Degree | Owosso, MI | $60,626 | Not available | +34% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | Rasmussen University-FloridaAssociate's Degree | Ocala, FL | $60,288 | $26,536 | +14% | Positive payoff |
| 8 | Rasmussen University-MinnesotaAssociate's Degree | St. Cloud, MN | $60,288 | $26,536 | +21% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | Rasmussen University-North DakotaAssociate's Degree | Fargo, ND | $60,288 | $26,536 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 10 | Rasmussen University-IllinoisAssociate's Degree | Rockford, IL | $60,288 | $26,536 | +18% | Positive payoff |
| 11 | Rasmussen University-WisconsinAssociate's Degree | Green Bay, WI | $60,288 | $26,536 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 12 | Rasmussen University-KansasAssociate's Degree | Topeka, KS | $60,288 | $26,536 | +11% | Positive payoff |
| 13 | Madison Area Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Madison, WI | $56,326 | Not available | -4% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Herkimer County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Herkimer, NY | $56,323 | $20,813 | -3% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Saint Paul CollegeAssociate's Degree | Saint Paul, MN | $55,104 | $30,562 | -11% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Northeast Wisconsin Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Green Bay, WI | $53,650 | $13,663 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Fox Valley Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Appleton, WI | $51,687 | $14,923 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Western Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | La Crosse, WI | $51,118 | Not available | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Bryant & Stratton College-AlbanyAssociate's Degree | Albany, NY | $50,600 | $27,901 | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Bryant & Stratton College-Syracuse NorthAssociate's Degree | Liverpool, NY | $50,600 | $27,901 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Bryant & Stratton College-BuffaloAssociate's Degree | Buffalo, NY | $50,600 | $27,901 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Bryant & Stratton College-GreeceAssociate's Degree | Rochester, NY | $50,600 | $27,901 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia BeachAssociate's Degree | Virginia Beach, VA | $50,600 | $27,901 | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | Bryant & Stratton College-WauwatosaAssociate's Degree | Wauwatosa, WI | $50,600 | $27,901 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Bryant & Stratton College-OnlineAssociate's Degree | Orchard Park, NY | $50,600 | $27,901 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Minnesota State Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fergus Falls, MN | $49,930 | $18,261 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | Lakeshore Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Cleveland, WI | $49,217 | Not available | -61% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Blackhawk Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Janesville, WI | $49,182 | Not available | -62% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Chippewa Valley Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Eau Claire, WI | $48,882 | $16,000 | -66% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Moraine Park Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fond du Lac, WI | $47,807 | $16,261 | -74% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | Alaska Career CollegeAssociate's Degree | Anchorage, AK | $47,518 | $20,000 | -81% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Cuyahoga Community College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Cleveland, OH | $45,216 | $21,439 | -98% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Ohio Business College-SheffieldAssociate's Degree | Sheffield Village, OH | $43,020 | $35,666 | -113% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | Hawkeye Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Waterloo, IA | $40,401 | Not available | -142% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | Fortis College-CentervilleAssociate's Degree | Centerville, OH | $35,218 | Not available | -166% | 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.