Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?
National picture across 46 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$35,034 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.
$35,034Median year-4 earnings
$10,904Average institution net-price context
$15,500Median federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$35,034Median reported earnings · year 4
$31,655Average reported earnings · year 5
$15,500Median federal debt
20thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
46Reporting programs
40With 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.
CURRENT VIEW
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $35,034
- Federal debt
- $15,500
- Reporting programs
- 46
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $38,349
- Federal debt
- $13,568
- Reporting programs
- 184
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $47,730
- Federal debt
- $26,000
- Reporting programs
- 742
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $58,135
- Federal debt
- $20,089
- Reporting programs
- 7
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $58,916
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 385
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $87,754
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 7
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $59,670
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $54,842
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 7
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $54,617
- 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$30,864National median$35,03475th percentile$38,884
40 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Central Washington University$60,5062Arizona State University Campus Immersion$53,1993San Juan College$52,6334Northern Arizona University$52,0155Minnesota State University-Mankato$51,2456Community College of Aurora$43,1957Urban College of Boston$41,4968Montessori Education Center of the Rockies$39,8739Colorado Mountain College$39,43310Quinsigamond Community College$39,368Observed 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.
Education Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1081 · 11 crosswalk linksElementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationSOC 25-2021 · 8 crosswalk linksSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2031 · 8 crosswalk linksMiddle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2022 · 7 crosswalk linksKindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationSOC 25-2012 · 6 crosswalk linksPreschool Teachers, Except Special EducationSOC 25-2011 · 6 crosswalk linksTeachers and Instructors, All OtherSOC 25-3099 · 3 crosswalk linksSelf-Enrichment TeachersSOC 25-3021 · 2 crosswalk linksAdult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsSOC 25-3011 · 1 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 1 crosswalk linksPostsecondary Teachers, All OtherSOC 25-1199 · 1 crosswalk linksTeaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special EducationSOC 25-9042 · 1 crosswalk links
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.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Washington UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Ellensburg, WA | $60,506 | $20,500 | Baseline needed | $18,476 |
| 2 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Tempe, AZ | $53,199 | $23,250 | Baseline needed | $14,967 |
| 3 | San Juan CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Farmington, NM | $52,633 | $25,150 | Baseline needed | $5,769 |
| 4 | Northern Arizona UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Flagstaff, AZ | $52,015 | $18,700 | Baseline needed | $14,158 |
| 5 | Minnesota State University-MankatoUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Mankato, MN | $51,245 | $26,206 | Baseline needed | $19,139 |
| 6 | Community College of AuroraUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Aurora, CO | $43,195 | Not available | Baseline needed | $8,656 |
| 7 | Urban College of BostonUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Boston, MA | $41,496 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,957 |
| 8 | Montessori Education Center of the RockiesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Denver, CO | $39,873 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,557 |
| 9 | Colorado Mountain CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Glenwood Springs, CO | $39,433 | Not available | Baseline needed | $7,813 |
| 10 | Quinsigamond Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Worcester, MA | $39,368 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,090 |
| 11 | Durham Technical Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Durham, NC | $38,884 | $25,522 | Baseline needed | $1,664 |
| 12 | Front Range Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Westminster, CO | $38,380 | $16,150 | Baseline needed | $13,031 |
| 13 | Milwaukee Area Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Milwaukee, WI | $37,902 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,112 |
| 14 | Bunker Hill Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Boston, MA | $36,953 | Not available | Baseline needed | $7,818 |
| 15 | East Mississippi Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Scooba, MS | $36,650 | Not available | Baseline needed | $4,608 |
| 16 | Wake Technical Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Raleigh, NC | $36,571 | $18,602 | Baseline needed | $8,759 |
| 17 | South Piedmont Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Polkton, NC | $35,260 | $8,200 | Baseline needed | $6,675 |
| 18 | Rasmussen University-FloridaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Ocala, FL | $35,034 | $12,358 | Baseline needed | $21,909 |
| 19 | Rasmussen University-MinnesotaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | St. Cloud, MN | $35,034 | $12,358 | Baseline needed | $17,962 |
| 20 | Rasmussen University-North DakotaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Fargo, ND | $35,034 | $12,358 | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 21 | Rasmussen University-IllinoisUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Rockford, IL | $35,034 | $12,358 | Baseline needed | $19,854 |
| 22 | Rasmussen University-WisconsinUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Green Bay, WI | $35,034 | $12,358 | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 23 | Rasmussen University-KansasUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Topeka, KS | $35,034 | $12,358 | Baseline needed | $23,980 |
| 24 | Central Piedmont Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Charlotte, NC | $33,718 | $9,500 | Baseline needed | $3,345 |
| 25 | Ivy Tech Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Indianapolis, IN | $33,545 | $15,000 | Baseline needed | $7,258 |
| 26 | Lenoir Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Kinston, NC | $32,321 | Not available | Baseline needed | $4,127 |
| 27 | Central Carolina Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Sanford, NC | $31,502 | Not available | Baseline needed | $5,446 |
| 28 | Pueblo Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Pueblo, CO | $31,443 | $10,750 | Baseline needed | $12,045 |
| 29 | Guilford Technical Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Jamestown, NC | $31,179 | $19,750 | Baseline needed | $15,002 |
| 30 | Rowan-Cabarrus Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Salisbury, NC | $30,994 | $7,000 | Baseline needed | $7,981 |
| 31 | Forsyth Technical Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Winston-Salem, NC | $30,864 | $17,101 | Baseline needed | $7,200 |
| 32 | Pikes Peak State CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Colorado Springs, CO | $30,538 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,007 |
| 33 | Northern Virginia Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Annandale, VA | $29,751 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,919 |
| 34 | Community College of DenverUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Denver, CO | $29,581 | $14,375 | Baseline needed | $9,450 |
| 35 | Davidson-Davie Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Thomasville, NC | $29,376 | $15,500 | Baseline needed | $8,753 |
| 36 | Pitt Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Winterville, NC | $27,827 | $15,250 | Baseline needed | $7,337 |
| 37 | Isothermal Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Spindale, NC | $26,512 | Not available | Baseline needed | $10,758 |
| 38 | Community Care CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Tulsa, OK | $26,367 | $12,387 | Baseline needed | $26,489 |
| 39 | Wayne Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Goldsboro, NC | $23,743 | Not available | Baseline needed | $2,245 |
| 40 | Albany Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Albany, GA | $22,093 | Not available | Baseline needed | $4,524 |
| 41 | Bryant & Stratton College-BuffaloUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Buffalo, NY | Not available | $17,579 | Baseline needed | $14,135 |
| 42 | Fayetteville Technical Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Fayetteville, NC | Not available | $23,499 | Baseline needed | $3,589 |
| 43 | Rose State CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Midwest City, OK | Not available | $9,303 | Baseline needed | $12,148 |
| 44 | Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia BeachUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Virginia Beach, VA | Not available | $17,579 | Baseline needed | $12,038 |
| 45 | Bryant & Stratton College-WauwatosaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Wauwatosa, WI | Not available | $17,579 | Baseline needed | $14,858 |
| 46 | Bryant & Stratton College-OnlineUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Orchard Park, NY | Not available | $17,579 | Baseline needed | $15,187 |
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.