Urban Studies/Affairs: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 1 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$91,156 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.
96.7 yrsModeled economic break-even
−90%Modeled 10-year ROI
$46,051Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$46,051Median reported earnings · year 4
Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
45thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
1Reporting programs
1With 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
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $46,051
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $59,596
- Federal debt
- $21,775
- Reporting programs
- 31
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $83,598
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 7
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$46,051National median$46,05175th percentile$46,051
1 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.
Find the colleges that fit your constraints
Keep this exact federal field and credential fixed, then narrow the reporting colleges by location, sector and federal debt.
1 matchesShowing up to 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →See the spread, not just the national number.
1CUNY Stella and Charles Guttman Community College$46,051Observed 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.
Managers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 1 crosswalk linksSocial Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All OtherSOC 25-1069 · 1 crosswalk linksSociologistsSOC 19-3041 · 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 | CUNY Stella and Charles Guttman Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | New York, NY | $46,051 | Not available | -90% | 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.