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ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 3018

Natural Sciences: is this associate's degree worth it?

National picture across 5 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$18,508 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.

12.2 yrsModeled economic break-even

−18%Modeled 10-year ROI

$53,484Observed earnings · year 4

Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$53,484Median reported earnings · year 4

$59,502Average reported earnings · year 5

$10,599Median federal debt

61thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

5Reporting programs

5With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

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.

CURRENT VIEW

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $53,484
Federal debt: $10,599
Reporting programs: 5

5 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $48,922
Federal debt: $25,054
Reporting programs: 15

13 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $57,825
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

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$47,721National median$53,48475th percentile$58,516

5 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Leeward Community College$64,936 2Kapiolani Community College$58,516 3Massasoit Community College$53,484 4Pasadena City College$47,721 5Bossier Parish Community College$42,053

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Life Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1099 · 1 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 1 crosswalk linksPhysical Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-2099 · 1 crosswalk linksPostsecondary Teachers, All OtherSOC 25-1199 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR NATURAL SCIENCES

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	Leeward Community CollegeAssociate's Degree	Pearl City, HI	$64,936	$11,068	+99%	Positive payoff
2	Kapiolani Community CollegeAssociate's Degree	Honolulu, HI	$58,516	Not available	+35%	Positive payoff
3	Massasoit Community CollegeAssociate's Degree	Brockton, MA	$53,484	$10,129	-21%	Negative payoff
4	Pasadena City CollegeAssociate's Degree	Pasadena, CA	$47,721	$6,250	-72%	Negative payoff
5	Bossier Parish Community CollegeAssociate's Degree	Bossier City, LA	$42,053	$21,610	-126%	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.