Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 16 reporting college programs.
−$20,065 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.
Observed national outcomes
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.
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.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Connecticut State Community College$75,0812Durham Technical Community College$74,8973Essex County College$68,1344Camden County College$61,4465CUNY New York City College of Technology$57,7006Hillsborough College$57,2157Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology$56,3068Triton College$50,9349Pima Medical Institute-Tucson$47,30210Pima Medical Institute-Denver$47,302Observed 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.
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 | Connecticut State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | New Britain, CT | $75,081 | Not available | +166% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Durham Technical Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Durham, NC | $74,897 | Not available | +220% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | Essex County CollegeAssociate's Degree | Newark, NJ | $68,134 | Not available | +134% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | Camden County CollegeAssociate's Degree | Blackwood, NJ | $61,446 | Not available | +61% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | CUNY New York City College of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | Brooklyn, NY | $57,700 | Not available | +27% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | Hillsborough CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tampa, FL | $57,215 | $19,464 | +25% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | Boston, MA | $56,306 | $19,899 | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Triton CollegeAssociate's Degree | River Grove, IL | $50,934 | Not available | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Pima Medical Institute-TucsonAssociate's Degree | Tucson, AZ | $47,302 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 10 | Pima Medical Institute-DenverAssociate's Degree | Denver, CO | $47,302 | Not available | -83% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Portland Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Portland, OR | $46,972 | Not available | -82% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Erie Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Buffalo, NY | $45,933 | Not available | -91% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Roane State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Harriman, TN | $41,665 | Not available | -134% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico-PonceAssociate's Degree | Mercedita, PR | $22,300 | Not available | -310% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Middlesex Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | , | $75,081 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 16 | Columbia Central University-CaguasAssociate's Degree | , | $24,301 | Not available | 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.