Field of study · CIP 13.01
Education, General
Offered at 1,040 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 35 | — | — | — |
| Associate | 133 | $27,669 | $41,955 | $11,000 |
| Bachelor's | 302 | $43,246 | $51,124 | $23,237 |
| Post-bacc certificate | 4 | — | $78,033 | — |
| Master's | 378 | $59,002 | $64,661 | — |
| Doctoral | 90 | $87,726 | $93,678 | — |
| Professional | 6 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 92 | $63,927 | $69,055 | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
Our read
One year after finishing, a typical associate program in this field reports median earnings of $27,669, versus $43,246 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | $70,044 | $75,506 | $15,375 |
| 2 | Schoolcraft Community College District | MI | $49,612 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Campbell University | NC | — | $64,048 | — |
| 2 | Middlesex College | NJ | $25,149 | $51,209 | — |
| 3 | Connecticut State Community College | CT | — | $47,704 | — |
| 4 | Rowan College of South Jersey-Cumberland Campus | NJ | $22,210 | $46,668 | $11,000 |
| 5 | Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester Campus | NJ | $22,210 | $46,668 | $11,000 |
| 6 | Pima Community College | AZ | — | $46,003 | — |
| 7 | Brookdale Community College | NJ | — | $45,718 | $11,000 |
| 8 | Volunteer State Community College | TN | — | $45,131 | — |
| 9 | Hagerstown Community College | MD | — | $44,586 | — |
| 10 | Trinity Valley Community College | TX | — | $44,124 | — |
| 11 | Columbia State Community College | TN | — | $44,100 | — |
| 12 | Connors State College | OK | — | $43,850 | — |
| 13 | Allegany College of Maryland | MD | — | $43,817 | — |
| 14 | Butler Community College | KS | — | $43,763 | — |
| 15 | Blue Ridge Community and Technical College | WV | — | $43,741 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bellevue University | NE | — | $80,417 | — |
| 2 | Brown University | RI | $43,467 | $77,459 | — |
| 3 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | WA | $43,090 | $71,281 | $12,242 |
| 4 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus | WA | $43,090 | $71,281 | $12,242 |
| 5 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | WA | $43,090 | $71,281 | $12,242 |
| 6 | Chapman University | CA | $34,412 | $70,169 | $19,000 |
| 7 | Colgate University | NY | — | $70,007 | — |
| 8 | Seattle Pacific University | WA | — | $67,508 | — |
| 9 | Syracuse University | NY | — | $66,516 | — |
| 10 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | MA | — | $64,914 | $26,639 |
| 11 | City University of Seattle | WA | $66,411 | $64,609 | $19,330 |
| 12 | Southwestern University | TX | $49,628 | $63,536 | $19,000 |
| 13 | Monmouth University | NJ | $56,836 | $62,443 | $27,000 |
| 14 | Denison University | OH | — | $61,162 | — |
| 15 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | CO | $43,017 | $60,987 | $21,364 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning post-bacc certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Riverside | CA | — | $81,413 | — |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | — | $78,033 | — |
| 3 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | PA | — | $54,984 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whitworth University | WA | $69,441 | $110,650 | — |
| 2 | California State University-Sacramento | CA | $77,570 | $99,805 | — |
| 3 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | CA | $74,284 | $98,198 | — |
| 4 | University of Pennsylvania | PA | $77,174 | $97,558 | — |
| 5 | University of Massachusetts Global | CA | $81,224 | $93,754 | — |
| 6 | California State University-Fresno | CA | $76,318 | $93,185 | — |
| 7 | California State University-Bakersfield | CA | $85,537 | $92,708 | — |
| 8 | University of San Diego | CA | $75,107 | $92,111 | — |
| 9 | California State University-San Marcos | CA | — | $92,031 | — |
| 10 | Auburn University | AL | — | $90,865 | — |
| 11 | Harvard University | MA | $74,450 | $90,602 | — |
| 12 | Notre Dame de Namur University | CA | — | $89,664 | — |
| 13 | California Baptist University | CA | $70,804 | $89,177 | — |
| 14 | California State University-Stanislaus | CA | $76,205 | $88,469 | — |
| 15 | California State University-Channel Islands | CA | — | $87,980 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard University | MA | $148,905 | $146,655 | — |
| 2 | Claremont Graduate University | CA | $106,455 | $126,767 | — |
| 3 | Azusa Pacific University | CA | $138,245 | $122,124 | — |
| 4 | Lesley University | MA | $89,532 | $117,861 | — |
| 5 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | $102,582 | $117,018 | — |
| 6 | University of California-San Diego | CA | $123,657 | $116,979 | — |
| 7 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | — | $110,264 | — |
| 8 | University of California-Riverside | CA | $78,491 | $109,703 | — |
| 9 | University of California-Irvine | CA | — | $109,198 | — |
| 10 | George Mason University | VA | $96,011 | $106,253 | — |
| 11 | Stanford University | CA | — | $106,212 | — |
| 12 | Virginia Commonwealth University | VA | $87,726 | $105,040 | — |
| 13 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $81,146 | $104,250 | — |
| 14 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | $101,186 | — | — |
| 15 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | PA | $99,785 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning professional programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northeastern University | MA | $109,178 | $114,906 | — |
| 2 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | PA | $51,042 | $59,477 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning graduate certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard University | MA | — | $88,503 | — |
| 2 | Goucher College | MD | $86,276 | — | — |
| 3 | Southern New Hampshire University | NH | $81,503 | — | — |
| 4 | Mercer University | GA | $76,016 | — | — |
| 5 | University of California-Santa Barbara | CA | $66,305 | $75,458 | — |
| 6 | Walden University | MN | $71,612 | $74,179 | — |
| 7 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | AL | — | $69,055 | — |
| 8 | California State University-Fresno | CA | $64,278 | $67,260 | — |
| 9 | University of Colorado Boulder | CO | $63,577 | — | — |
| 10 | Northcentral University | CA | $61,588 | — | — |
| 11 | Iowa State University | IA | $61,490 | — | — |
| 12 | Monmouth University | NJ | — | $57,479 | — |
| 13 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | WI | $54,122 | — | — |
| 14 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | CO | $53,915 | — | — |
| 15 | Jackson State University | MS | $53,179 | $52,651 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Educational Administration and SupervisionBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $46,675Special Education and TeachingBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $51,906Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $48,374Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $52,317Curriculum and InstructionBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings —Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and ResearchBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings —Student Counseling and Personnel ServicesBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings —Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign LanguageBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $44,517
Quick answers
- How much do education, general graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in education, general reports median earnings of $43,246. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
