Security Science and Technology: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 49 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$137,028 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
21.0 yrsModeled economic break-even
−52%Modeled 10-year ROI
$57,447Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$57,447Median reported earnings · year 4
$55,949Average reported earnings · year 5
$25,432Median federal debt
40thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
49Reporting programs
48With 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
- $64,856
- Federal debt
- $29,333
- Reporting programs
- 5
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $41,327
- Federal debt
- $12,000
- Reporting programs
- 9
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $57,447
- Federal debt
- $25,432
- Reporting programs
- 49
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- Not available
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Reporting programs
- 1
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $86,344
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 35
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$51,956National median$57,44775th percentile$63,182
48 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Champlain College$101,4012Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott$98,9963Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach$98,9964Florida State University$93,8415Robert Morris University$90,2066Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania$73,2897Towson University$71,4848Syracuse University$69,4919State University of New York at Plattsburgh$69,32110Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus$66,084Observed 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.
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1111 · 9 crosswalk linksDetectives and Criminal InvestigatorsSOC 33-3021 · 5 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesSOC 33-1012 · 4 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All OtherSOC 33-1099 · 2 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersSOC 33-1091 · 2 crosswalk linksForensic Science TechniciansSOC 19-4092 · 2 crosswalk linksLife, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherSOC 19-4099 · 2 crosswalk linksPrivate Detectives and InvestigatorsSOC 33-9021 · 2 crosswalk linksSpecial ForcesSOC 55-3018 · 2 crosswalk linksSpecial Forces OfficersSOC 55-1017 · 2 crosswalk linksAccountants and AuditorsSOC 13-2011 · 1 crosswalk linksCartographers and PhotogrammetristsSOC 17-1021 · 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 | Champlain CollegeBachelor's Degree | Burlington, VT | $101,401 | $29,080 | +74% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-PrescottBachelor's Degree | Prescott, AZ | $98,996 | $19,500 | +58% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachBachelor's Degree | Daytona Beach, FL | $98,996 | $19,500 | +56% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | Florida State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Tallahassee, FL | $93,841 | $20,693 | +117% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Robert Morris UniversityBachelor's Degree | Moon Township, PA | $90,206 | $27,000 | +66% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | Commonwealth University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | Bloomsburg, PA | $73,289 | $25,800 | +17% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | Towson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Towson, MD | $71,484 | Not available | +6% | Positive payoff |
| 8 | Syracuse UniversityBachelor's Degree | Syracuse, NY | $69,491 | $27,000 | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | State University of New York at PlattsburghBachelor's Degree | Plattsburgh, NY | $69,321 | Not available | -2% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | University Park, PA | $66,084 | $27,000 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Loyola University ChicagoBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $64,194 | Not available | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | University of New HavenBachelor's Degree | West Haven, CT | $63,360 | $27,000 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | George Mason UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairfax, VA | $63,182 | $25,747 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | University of North DakotaBachelor's Degree | Grand Forks, ND | $62,726 | Not available | -30% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | West Virginia University Institute of TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Beckley, WV | $62,455 | $24,324 | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | West Virginia UniversityBachelor's Degree | Morgantown, WV | $62,455 | $24,324 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | University of Maryland Global CampusBachelor's Degree | Adelphi, MD | $62,022 | $29,200 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | University of Central FloridaBachelor's Degree | Orlando, FL | $61,633 | Not available | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Virginia Commonwealth UniversityBachelor's Degree | Richmond, VA | $61,026 | $26,000 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Chestnut Hill CollegeBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $60,744 | $35,000 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Farmingdale State CollegeBachelor's Degree | Farmingdale, NY | $60,464 | $19,500 | -31% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal JusticeBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $60,416 | $14,475 | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | University of Nebraska-LincolnBachelor's Degree | Lincoln, NE | $58,037 | $26,908 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | Tiffin UniversityBachelor's Degree | Tiffin, OH | $57,509 | $27,000 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Grand Canyon UniversityBachelor's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $57,384 | $27,000 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | American Public University SystemBachelor's Degree | Charles Town, WV | $57,237 | $32,294 | -44% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | Seattle UniversityBachelor's Degree | Seattle, WA | $56,265 | $20,750 | -65% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Bay Path UniversityBachelor's Degree | Longmeadow, MA | $56,262 | $29,113 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Indiana University-IndianapolisBachelor's Degree | Indianapolis, IN | $55,988 | $27,000 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Mercyhurst UniversityBachelor's Degree | Erie, PA | $55,665 | Not available | -59% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | University of Central OklahomaBachelor's Degree | Edmond, OK | $54,876 | $23,350 | -61% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Hilbert CollegeBachelor's Degree | Hamburg, NY | $54,589 | $27,000 | -65% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Western Carolina UniversityBachelor's Degree | Cullowhee, NC | $54,246 | $21,500 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | Texas A&M University-College StationBachelor's Degree | College Station, TX | $53,792 | Not available | -67% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | Florida Gulf Coast UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fort Myers, FL | $52,096 | $19,046 | -69% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Saint Edward's UniversityBachelor's Degree | Austin, TX | $51,977 | Not available | -75% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | University of Southern MississippiBachelor's Degree | Hattiesburg, MS | $51,956 | Not available | -74% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | Husson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bangor, ME | $51,772 | Not available | -74% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | University of Wisconsin-PlattevilleBachelor's Degree | Platteville, WI | $50,368 | $24,780 | -78% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | Jacksonville State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Jacksonville, AL | $50,281 | $24,250 | -78% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | Bellevue UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bellevue, NE | $49,052 | $18,750 | -84% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | Glenville State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Glenville, WV | $48,388 | $29,750 | -86% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | Keiser University-Ft LauderdaleBachelor's Degree | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $47,847 | $37,151 | -91% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | Washburn UniversityBachelor's Degree | Topeka, KS | $44,534 | $21,638 | -102% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | The University of Texas at El PasoBachelor's Degree | El Paso, TX | $42,459 | $25,432 | -112% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico-PonceBachelor's Degree | Mercedita, PR | $31,181 | $6,325 | -164% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico-BayamonBachelor's Degree | Bayamon, PR | $31,130 | $5,750 | -164% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico-AguadillaBachelor's Degree | Aguadilla, PR | $29,441 | $7,750 | -172% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | Roger Williams UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bristol, RI | Not available | $25,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $37,999 |
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.