UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 1310

Special Education and Teaching: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?

National picture across 4 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$49,835 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.

$49,835Median year-4 earnings
$22,261Average institution net-price context
$25,620Median federal debt
Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →
WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$49,835Median reported earnings · year 4
Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5
$25,620Median federal debt
48thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
4Reporting programs
2With 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

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings
$49,835
Federal debt
$25,620
Reporting programs
4
2 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$41,141
Federal debt
$16,669
Reporting programs
2
2 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$51,258
Federal debt
$26,717
Reporting programs
205
185 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings
$67,859
Federal debt
$23,274
Reporting programs
9
8 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings
$62,770
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
288
288 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings
$98,012
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
1
1 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings
$70,411
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
17
17 report earnings →
OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings
$79,956
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
5
5 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$42,535National median$49,83575th percentile$42,535
2 programs report year‑4 earnings.
WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee$57,1352Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College$42,5353University of Cincinnati-Main CampusNot available4University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash CollegeNot available

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.

Education Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1081 · 15 crosswalk linksSpecial Education Teachers, All OtherSOC 25-2059 · 13 crosswalk linksSpecial Education Teachers, Elementary SchoolSOC 25-2056 · 13 crosswalk linksSpecial Education Teachers, KindergartenSOC 25-2055 · 13 crosswalk linksSpecial Education Teachers, Middle SchoolSOC 25-2057 · 13 crosswalk linksSpecial Education Teachers, PreschoolSOC 25-2051 · 13 crosswalk linksSpecial Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolSOC 25-2058 · 13 crosswalk linksInterpreters and TranslatorsSOC 27-3091 · 1 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 1 crosswalk linksTeaching Assistants, Special EducationSOC 25-9043 · 1 crosswalk links
BEST COLLEGES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION AND TEACHING

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.

#CollegeLocationEarnings, year 4Federal debtROI statusCost context
1University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeUndergraduate Certificate or DiplomaMilwaukee, WI$57,135$26,000Baseline needed$15,014
2Saint Mary-of-the-Woods CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or DiplomaSaint Mary of the Woods, IN$42,535$32,294Baseline needed$31,872
3University of Cincinnati-Main CampusUndergraduate Certificate or DiplomaCincinnati, OHNot available$25,240Baseline needed$25,648
4University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or DiplomaBlue Ash, OHNot available$25,240Baseline needed$16,508

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.