Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 394 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$194,187 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.
43.4 yrsModeled economic break-even
−77%Modeled 10-year ROI
$50,806Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$50,806Median reported earnings · year 4
$50,618Average reported earnings · year 5
$26,221Median federal debt
23thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
394Reporting programs
356With 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
- $44,558
- Federal debt
- $15,125
- Reporting programs
- 5
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $34,656
- Federal debt
- $9,247
- Reporting programs
- 22
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $50,806
- Federal debt
- $26,221
- Reporting programs
- 394
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $61,003
- Federal debt
- $24,485
- Reporting programs
- 6
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $62,562
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 289
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $93,737
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 9
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $72,868
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 8
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $60,127
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 8
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$47,505National median$50,80675th percentile$54,799
356 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1California State University, Sacramento$82,0622CUNY Brooklyn College$80,2073St. John's University-New York$78,2154CUNY Queens College$76,9255College of Staten Island CUNY$75,2726University of Louisville$74,8737Hofstra University$74,5258CUNY Hunter College$72,9199Adelphi University$70,41610Southern Illinois University-Carbondale$67,961Observed 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 · 33 crosswalk linksSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2031 · 30 crosswalk linksMiddle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2022 · 28 crosswalk linksCareer/Technical Education Teachers, Middle SchoolSOC 25-2023 · 8 crosswalk linksCareer/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolSOC 25-2032 · 8 crosswalk linksCareer/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1194 · 7 crosswalk linksForeign Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1124 · 5 crosswalk linksArt, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1121 · 3 crosswalk linksAgricultural Sciences Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1041 · 2 crosswalk linksAtmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1051 · 2 crosswalk linksBiological Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1042 · 2 crosswalk linksBusiness Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1011 · 2 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 | California State University, SacramentoBachelor's Degree | Sacramento, CA | $82,062 | $30,515 | +71% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | CUNY Brooklyn CollegeBachelor's Degree | Brooklyn, NY | $80,207 | $13,178 | +83% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | St. John's University-New YorkBachelor's Degree | Queens, NY | $78,215 | $25,000 | +11% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | CUNY Queens CollegeBachelor's Degree | Queens, NY | $76,925 | $16,000 | +62% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | College of Staten Island CUNYBachelor's Degree | Staten Island, NY | $75,272 | Not available | +50% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | University of LouisvilleBachelor's Degree | Louisville, KY | $74,873 | $22,250 | +19% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | Hofstra UniversityBachelor's Degree | Hempstead, NY | $74,525 | $23,517 | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | CUNY Hunter CollegeBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $72,919 | $12,000 | +45% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | Adelphi UniversityBachelor's Degree | Garden City, NY | $70,416 | $25,972 | -16% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleBachelor's Degree | Carbondale, IL | $67,961 | $21,182 | -2% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | The University of Texas at AustinBachelor's Degree | Austin, TX | $67,192 | Not available | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | SUNY OneontaBachelor's Degree | Oneonta, NY | $66,128 | $19,032 | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Syracuse UniversityBachelor's Degree | Syracuse, NY | $65,410 | $26,664 | -39% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Montclair State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Montclair, NJ | $65,007 | $27,000 | -17% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | University of Rhode IslandBachelor's Degree | Kingston, RI | $64,916 | $23,250 | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | California State University, FullertonBachelor's Degree | Fullerton, CA | $63,798 | $15,000 | -9% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | St. Joseph's University-New YorkBachelor's Degree | Brooklyn, NY | $63,672 | $26,944 | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | University of Illinois ChicagoBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $63,233 | $17,125 | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | William Paterson University of New JerseyBachelor's Degree | Wayne, NJ | $63,203 | $31,000 | -29% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | State University of New York at CortlandBachelor's Degree | Cortland, NY | $63,201 | $25,837 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Kean UniversityBachelor's Degree | Union, NJ | $63,156 | $29,625 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Western Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bellingham, WA | $63,072 | $26,000 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | Nevada State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Henderson, NV | $62,684 | Not available | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | University of ConnecticutBachelor's Degree | Storrs, CT | $62,630 | $25,000 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusBachelor's Degree | Waterbury, CT | $62,630 | $25,000 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | University of Connecticut-Avery PointBachelor's Degree | Groton, CT | $62,630 | $25,000 | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | University of Connecticut-StamfordBachelor's Degree | Stamford, CT | $62,630 | $25,000 | -29% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | $62,630 | $25,000 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | California State University, FresnoBachelor's Degree | Fresno, CA | $62,475 | $15,000 | -16% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | SUNY College at GeneseoBachelor's Degree | Geneseo, NY | $62,420 | $23,000 | -31% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | New Mexico Highlands UniversityBachelor's Degree | Las Vegas, NM | $62,375 | Not available | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | The College of New JerseyBachelor's Degree | Ewing, NJ | $62,281 | $26,000 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Washington State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Pullman, WA | $62,126 | Not available | -29% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | William Carey UniversityBachelor's Degree | Hattiesburg, MS | $61,978 | $25,524 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | Central Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ellensburg, WA | $61,604 | $23,377 | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Rider UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lawrenceville, NJ | $61,208 | $27,000 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | Weber State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ogden, UT | $61,085 | $26,767 | -27% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBachelor's Degree | Baton Rouge, LA | $61,045 | $22,728 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | Fresno Pacific UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fresno, CA | $61,005 | $21,875 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | Texas Christian UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fort Worth, TX | $61,004 | $26,500 | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | Southern Connecticut State UniversityBachelor's Degree | New Haven, CT | $60,780 | $24,875 | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | North Carolina A&T State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Greensboro, NC | $60,703 | $23,038 | -30% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | State University of New York at New PaltzBachelor's Degree | New Paltz, NY | $60,371 | $24,293 | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | California State University, ChicoBachelor's Degree | Chico, CA | $60,296 | $21,429 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | George Mason UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairfax, VA | $59,979 | $24,250 | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | Boston UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $59,858 | $25,125 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | Virginia Commonwealth UniversityBachelor's Degree | Richmond, VA | $59,442 | $26,901 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | State University of New York at OswegoBachelor's Degree | Oswego, NY | $59,412 | $24,452 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | Salisbury UniversityBachelor's Degree | Salisbury, MD | $59,311 | $24,240 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | Ithaca CollegeBachelor's Degree | Ithaca, NY | $58,902 | $26,500 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | Texas Wesleyan UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fort Worth, TX | $58,868 | $35,550 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | Wayne State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Detroit, MI | $58,743 | $26,000 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | Indiana University-BloomingtonBachelor's Degree | Bloomington, IN | $58,390 | $20,500 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 54 | Bridgewater State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bridgewater, MA | $58,255 | $27,000 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 55 | Texas Lutheran UniversityBachelor's Degree | Seguin, TX | $58,187 | $27,000 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 56 | Linfield UniversityBachelor's Degree | McMinnville, OR | $57,975 | $27,000 | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 57 | DePaul UniversityBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $57,957 | $26,910 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 58 | SUNY College at PotsdamBachelor's Degree | Potsdam, NY | $57,949 | $27,000 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 59 | Eastern Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Cheney, WA | $57,915 | $23,009 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 60 | Saint Edward's UniversityBachelor's Degree | Austin, TX | $57,818 | $26,000 | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 61 | Rowan UniversityBachelor's Degree | Glassboro, NJ | $57,739 | $27,000 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 62 | Middle Tennessee State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Murfreesboro, TN | $57,543 | Not available | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 63 | Baylor UniversityBachelor's Degree | Waco, TX | $57,434 | $27,000 | -64% | Negative payoff |
| 64 | Florida State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Tallahassee, FL | $57,287 | $22,500 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 65 | North Carolina State University at RaleighBachelor's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $57,022 | $25,000 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 66 | Western Connecticut State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Danbury, CT | $56,882 | $27,000 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 67 | Central Connecticut State UniversityBachelor's Degree | New Britain, CT | $56,607 | $25,000 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 68 | Old Dominion UniversityBachelor's Degree | Norfolk, VA | $56,564 | $25,000 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 69 | University of Wisconsin-StoutBachelor's Degree | Menomonie, WI | $56,563 | $24,500 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 70 | Florida Atlantic UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boca Raton, FL | $56,414 | $27,516 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 71 | Elmhurst UniversityBachelor's Degree | Elmhurst, IL | $56,411 | $27,000 | -59% | Negative payoff |
| 72 | University of MaineBachelor's Degree | Orono, ME | $56,169 | $27,000 | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 73 | Morningside UniversityBachelor's Degree | Sioux City, IA | $56,166 | $28,000 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 74 | University of DelawareBachelor's Degree | Newark, DE | $56,133 | $26,298 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 75 | Howard Payne UniversityBachelor's Degree | Brownwood, TX | $56,101 | $24,467 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 76 | University of GeorgiaBachelor's Degree | Athens, GA | $56,024 | $20,750 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 77 | Salem State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Salem, MA | $55,808 | $27,000 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 78 | Morgan State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $55,716 | $33,869 | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 79 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionBachelor's Degree | Tempe, AZ | $55,713 | Not available | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 80 | Towson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Towson, MD | $55,635 | $21,500 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 81 | University of WyomingBachelor's Degree | Laramie, WY | $55,338 | $18,500 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 82 | East Stroudsburg University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | East Stroudsburg, PA | $55,303 | $27,000 | -59% | Negative payoff |
| 83 | University of FloridaBachelor's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $55,284 | $15,275 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 84 | Concordia University-ChicagoBachelor's Degree | River Forest, IL | $55,212 | $27,000 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 85 | Oklahoma State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Stillwater, OK | $54,953 | $23,102 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 86 | Massachusetts College of Art and DesignBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $54,947 | $27,000 | -64% | Negative payoff |
| 87 | Valparaiso UniversityBachelor's Degree | Valparaiso, IN | $54,933 | $27,000 | -61% | Negative payoff |
| 88 | University of La VerneBachelor's Degree | La Verne, CA | $54,898 | $23,533 | -62% | Negative payoff |
| 89 | University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesBachelor's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $54,799 | Not available | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 90 | University of IdahoBachelor's Degree | Moscow, ID | $54,732 | $29,000 | -59% | Negative payoff |
| 91 | Indiana State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Terre Haute, IN | $54,610 | $27,000 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 92 | Purdue University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | West Lafayette, IN | $54,559 | $19,500 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 93 | Eastern Illinois UniversityBachelor's Degree | Charleston, IL | $54,548 | $28,866 | -59% | Negative payoff |
| 94 | Stetson UniversityBachelor's Degree | DeLand, FL | $54,537 | $27,000 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 95 | Illinois State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Normal, IL | $54,452 | $24,149 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 96 | Messiah UniversityBachelor's Degree | Mechanicsburg, PA | $54,115 | $27,000 | -68% | Negative payoff |
| 97 | Long Island UniversityBachelor's Degree | Brookville, NY | $54,050 | $26,500 | -71% | Negative payoff |
| 98 | University of Wisconsin-River FallsBachelor's Degree | River Falls, WI | $54,043 | $26,000 | -62% | Negative payoff |
| 99 | Belmont UniversityBachelor's Degree | Nashville, TN | $53,999 | Not available | -71% | Negative payoff |
| 100 | Robert Morris UniversityBachelor's Degree | Moon Township, PA | $53,974 | $27,000 | -67% | Negative payoff |
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.