Sustainability Studies: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 21 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$108,470 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.
17.4 yrsModeled economic break-even
−43%Modeled 10-year ROI
$59,660Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$59,660Median reported earnings · year 4
$61,961Average reported earnings · year 5
$20,510Median federal debt
45thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
21Reporting programs
17With 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
- $59,417
- Federal debt
- $23,463
- Reporting programs
- 4
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $59,660
- Federal debt
- $20,510
- Reporting programs
- 21
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $79,893
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 14
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$55,148National median$59,66075th percentile$62,388
17 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Columbia University in the City of New York$85,5452University of Wisconsin-Platteville$73,2383Western Washington University$70,7934University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign$63,6045University of New Hampshire-Main Campus$62,3886University of Florida$61,2817George Mason University$61,2168Aquinas College$60,2859Miami University-Hamilton$59,66010Miami University-Oxford$59,660Observed 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.
Conservation ScientistsSOC 19-1031 · 1 crosswalk linksEnvironmental Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1053 · 1 crosswalk linksEnvironmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthSOC 19-4042 · 1 crosswalk linksEnvironmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthSOC 19-2041 · 1 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 1 crosswalk linksPostsecondary Teachers, All OtherSOC 25-1199 · 1 crosswalk linksSocial Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherSOC 19-3099 · 1 crosswalk linksUrban and Regional PlannersSOC 19-3051 · 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 | Columbia University in the City of New YorkBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $85,545 | $18,070 | +52% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-PlattevilleBachelor's Degree | Platteville, WI | $73,238 | $24,205 | +16% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Western Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bellingham, WA | $70,793 | $19,086 | -3% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignBachelor's Degree | Champaign, IL | $63,604 | $19,500 | -22% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | University of New Hampshire-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Durham, NH | $62,388 | $27,000 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | University of FloridaBachelor's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $61,281 | $15,250 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | George Mason UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairfax, VA | $61,216 | $25,000 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Aquinas CollegeBachelor's Degree | Grand Rapids, MI | $60,285 | Not available | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Miami University-HamiltonBachelor's Degree | Hamilton, OH | $59,660 | $23,047 | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Miami University-OxfordBachelor's Degree | Oxford, OH | $59,660 | $23,047 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Stockton UniversityBachelor's Degree | Galloway, NJ | $59,472 | Not available | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | University of California, RiversideBachelor's Degree | Riverside, CA | $58,463 | $20,045 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | SUNY OneontaBachelor's Degree | Oneonta, NY | $55,148 | $20,510 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | The University of Texas at AustinBachelor's Degree | Austin, TX | $54,430 | $18,636 | -64% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Colorado Mountain CollegeBachelor's Degree | Glenwood Springs, CO | $52,293 | $11,000 | -65% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Hofstra UniversityBachelor's Degree | Hempstead, NY | $43,733 | Not available | -104% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Montana State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bozeman, MT | $41,979 | Not available | -111% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Florida International UniversityBachelor's Degree | Miami, FL | Not available | $17,379 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $9,288 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | University Park, PA | Not available | $23,125 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $32,875 |
| 20 | University of UtahBachelor's Degree | Salt Lake City, UT | Not available | $23,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $16,200 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania State University-World CampusBachelor's Degree | University Park, PA | Not available | $23,125 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $19,550 |
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.