Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities: is this non-credential program (preparatory coursework/teacher certification) worth it?
National picture across 25 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$53,722 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.
$53,722Median year-4 earnings
$13,912Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$53,722Median reported earnings · year 4
Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
32thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
25Reporting programs
25With 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
- $44,349
- Federal debt
- $9,500
- Reporting programs
- 114
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $42,789
- Federal debt
- $11,000
- Reporting programs
- 997
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $52,545
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Reporting programs
- 527
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $100,964
- Federal debt
- $28,249
- Reporting programs
- 2
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $67,332
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 35
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $64,895
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 4
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $53,722
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 25
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$46,497National median$53,72275th percentile$70,407
25 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of California, Santa Barbara$87,2242University of Minnesota-Twin Cities$77,7793California Lutheran University$76,5514University of North Texas at Dallas$73,7765University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee$71,3076University of Connecticut$71,2807Brightpoint Community College$70,4078San Diego State University$68,9969Westminster University$66,16310Nazareth University$63,853Observed 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.
Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherSOC 25-1199 · 3 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 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 | University of California, Santa BarbaraNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Santa Barbara, CA | $87,224 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,109 |
| 2 | University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Minneapolis, MN | $77,779 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,778 |
| 3 | California Lutheran UniversityNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Thousand Oaks, CA | $76,551 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,109 |
| 4 | University of North Texas at DallasNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Dallas, TX | $73,776 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,420 |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Milwaukee, WI | $71,307 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,014 |
| 6 | University of ConnecticutNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Storrs, CT | $71,280 | Not available | Baseline needed | $25,097 |
| 7 | Brightpoint Community CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Chester, VA | $70,407 | Not available | Baseline needed | $5,490 |
| 8 | San Diego State UniversityNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | San Diego, CA | $68,996 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,364 |
| 9 | Westminster UniversityNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Salt Lake City, UT | $66,163 | Not available | Baseline needed | $27,094 |
| 10 | Nazareth UniversityNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Rochester, NY | $63,853 | Not available | Baseline needed | $29,357 |
| 11 | University of Minnesota-DuluthNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Duluth, MN | $57,027 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,743 |
| 12 | Austin Community College DistrictNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Austin, TX | $55,088 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,390 |
| 13 | California State Polytechnic University-HumboldtNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Arcata, CA | $53,722 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,171 |
| 14 | King UniversityNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Bristol, TN | $53,675 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,347 |
| 15 | Daytona State CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Daytona Beach, FL | $52,395 | Not available | Baseline needed | $7,177 |
| 16 | City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Chicago, IL | $51,022 | Not available | Baseline needed | $7,397 |
| 17 | Pima Community CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Tucson, AZ | $50,488 | Not available | Baseline needed | $3,405 |
| 18 | Santiago Canyon CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Orange, CA | $49,148 | Not available | Baseline needed | $2,129 |
| 19 | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Chicago, IL | $46,497 | Not available | Baseline needed | $7,220 |
| 20 | Santa Ana CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Santa Ana, CA | $44,824 | Not available | Baseline needed | $3,133 |
| 21 | Texas CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Tyler, TX | $43,456 | Not available | Baseline needed | $10,958 |
| 22 | Kirkwood Community CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Cedar Rapids, IA | $42,336 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,705 |
| 23 | Three Rivers CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Poplar Bluff, MO | $42,323 | Not available | Baseline needed | $8,496 |
| 24 | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Saint Mary of the Woods, IN | $35,376 | Not available | Baseline needed | $31,872 |
| 25 | Allegany College of MarylandNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Cumberland, MD | $29,822 | Not available | Baseline needed | $8,819 |
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.