How much are students earning after they’ve achieved postsecondary certificates from various U.S. institutions? New data released from the Department of Education, based on information reported for gainful employment regulations, can begin to answer that question.
According to the data release, which encompasses about 3,700 postsecondary institutions, graduates of certificate programs at public institutions typically earn almost $9,000 more than graduates of comparable programs at for-profit colleges. In addition:
- Graduates from public colleges are more likely to have participated in certificate programs in higher paying career fields than graduates from for-profit colleges.
- Nearly 1/3 of students in for-profit certificate programs graduated from programs where the typical graduate earns less than minimum wage, compared to 14 percent of students in public college certificate programs.
This data will be used to calculate debt-to-earnings rates that help individuals determine their likely return on investment from postsecondary education. Starting in January, institutions must disclose costs, graduation rates and alumni earnings by program, per gainful employment standards.
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