Public Health: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 22 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$136,251 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.
—Modeled economic break-even
−113%Modeled 10-year ROI
$43,403Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$43,403Median reported earnings · year 4
$38,680Average reported earnings · year 5
$21,789Median federal debt
36thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
22Reporting programs
21With 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
- $36,698
- Federal debt
- $17,726
- Reporting programs
- 8
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $43,403
- Federal debt
- $21,789
- Reporting programs
- 22
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $57,499
- Federal debt
- $25,875
- Reporting programs
- 256
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $77,605
- Federal debt
- $20,716
- Reporting programs
- 8
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $79,533
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 207
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $111,411
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 10
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $77,992
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 5
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $95,664
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 9
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$37,602National median$43,40375th percentile$43,403
21 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Harrisburg Area Community College$50,6302Lemoore College$49,7653Coalinga College$46,3724Florida National University-Main Campus$45,0015Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale$44,3506Bryant & Stratton College-Albany$43,4037Bryant & Stratton College-Syracuse North$43,4038Bryant & Stratton College-Buffalo$43,4039Bryant & Stratton College-Parma$43,40310Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach$43,403Observed 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.
Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1071 · 11 crosswalk linksMedical and Health Services ManagersSOC 11-9111 · 7 crosswalk linksCommunity Health WorkersSOC 21-1094 · 5 crosswalk linksHealth Education SpecialistsSOC 21-1091 · 5 crosswalk linksOccupational Health and Safety SpecialistsSOC 19-5011 · 3 crosswalk linksOccupational Health and Safety TechniciansSOC 19-5012 · 3 crosswalk linksCompliance OfficersSOC 13-1041 · 1 crosswalk linksEnvironmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthSOC 19-2041 · 1 crosswalk linksEpidemiologistsSOC 19-1041 · 1 crosswalk linksGenetic CounselorsSOC 29-9092 · 1 crosswalk linksMedical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsSOC 19-1042 · 1 crosswalk linksPhysicistsSOC 19-2012 · 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 | Harrisburg Area Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Harrisburg, PA | $50,630 | $23,578 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 2 | Lemoore CollegeAssociate's Degree | Lemoore, CA | $49,765 | $7,125 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 3 | Coalinga CollegeAssociate's Degree | Coalinga, CA | $46,372 | $6,517 | -88% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | Florida National University-Main CampusAssociate's Degree | Hialeah, FL | $45,001 | $26,585 | -100% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | Keiser University-Ft LauderdaleAssociate's Degree | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $44,350 | $31,866 | -104% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | Bryant & Stratton College-AlbanyAssociate's Degree | Albany, NY | $43,403 | $30,312 | -114% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Bryant & Stratton College-Syracuse NorthAssociate's Degree | Liverpool, NY | $43,403 | $30,312 | -113% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Bryant & Stratton College-BuffaloAssociate's Degree | Buffalo, NY | $43,403 | $30,312 | -114% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Bryant & Stratton College-ParmaAssociate's Degree | Parma, OH | $43,403 | $30,312 | -114% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia BeachAssociate's Degree | Virginia Beach, VA | $43,403 | $30,312 | -114% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Bryant & Stratton College-WauwatosaAssociate's Degree | Wauwatosa, WI | $43,403 | $30,312 | -113% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Bryant & Stratton College-OnlineAssociate's Degree | Orchard Park, NY | $43,403 | $30,312 | -113% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | New York, NY | $40,539 | $5,500 | -145% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | American Public University SystemAssociate's Degree | Charles Town, WV | $39,409 | $25,163 | -151% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Community Care CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tulsa, OK | Not available | $16,508 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $26,489 |
| 16 | Florida Career College-MiamiAssociate's Degree | , | $37,602 | $20,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 17 | Florida Career College-West Palm BeachAssociate's Degree | , | $37,602 | $20,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 18 | Florida Career College-HialeahAssociate's Degree | , | $37,602 | $20,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 19 | Florida Career College-Lauderdale LakesAssociate's Degree | , | $37,602 | $20,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 20 | Florida Career College-Boynton BeachAssociate's Degree | , | $37,602 | $20,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 21 | Florida Career College-MargateAssociate's Degree | , | $37,602 | $20,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 22 | Florida Career College-HoustonAssociate's Degree | , | $37,602 | $20,000 | 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.