Teaching Assistants/Aides: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 11 reporting college programs.
−$178,315 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
Observed national outcomes
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.
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.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1CUNY Medgar Evers College$64,0002CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College$41,0433Gateway Community and Technical College$40,5864CUNY Bronx Community College$39,9925CUNY Kingsborough Community College$38,3136CUNY Hostos Community College$37,7837Jefferson Community and Technical College$36,9908Northland Community and Technical College$36,8659University of Phoenix-Arizona$34,87310Texas State Technical College$32,170Observed 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.
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 | CUNY Medgar Evers CollegeAssociate's Degree | Brooklyn, NY | $64,000 | Not available | +87% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | New York, NY | $41,043 | $9,500 | -140% | Negative payoff |
| 3 | Gateway Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Florence, KY | $40,586 | $12,656 | -144% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | CUNY Bronx Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bronx, NY | $39,992 | Not available | -151% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | CUNY Kingsborough Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Brooklyn, NY | $38,313 | $8,380 | -166% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | CUNY Hostos Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bronx, NY | $37,783 | $5,500 | -172% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Jefferson Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Louisville, KY | $36,990 | $10,000 | -178% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Northland Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Thief River Falls, MN | $36,865 | Not available | -169% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | University of Phoenix-ArizonaAssociate's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $34,873 | $28,206 | -187% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Texas State Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Waco, TX | $32,170 | $9,216 | -210% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | St Cloud Technical and Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Saint Cloud, MN | $31,855 | Not available | -220% | 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.