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ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 3906

Theological and Ministerial Studies: is this associate's degree worth it?

National picture across 3 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$148,274 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.

903.2 yrsModeled economic break-even

−99%Modeled 10-year ROI

$45,166Observed earnings · year 4

Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$45,166Median reported earnings · year 4

Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5

$18,938Median federal debt

41thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

3Reporting programs

3With 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.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $29,038
Federal debt: $18,054
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $45,166
Federal debt: $18,938
Reporting programs: 3

3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $47,518
Federal debt: $25,838
Reporting programs: 38

26 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $60,457
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 100

100 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $73,457
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 14

14 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

First Professional Degree

Year-4 earnings: $63,549
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 11

11 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $55,739
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 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$45,142National median$45,16675th percentile$45,166

3 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Northwest University$45,166 2Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education$45,166 3Southeastern University$45,142

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.

ClergySOC 21-2011 · 5 crosswalk linksPhilosophy and Religion Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1126 · 5 crosswalk linksReligious Workers, All OtherSOC 21-2099 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR THEOLOGICAL AND MINISTERIAL STUDIES

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	Northwest UniversityAssociate's Degree	Kirkland, WA	$45,166	$18,938	-99%	Negative payoff
2	Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended EducationAssociate's Degree	Kirkland, WA	$45,166	$18,938	-99%	Negative payoff
3	Southeastern UniversityAssociate's Degree	Lakeland, FL	$45,142	$16,000	-99%	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.