The Education Department unveiled changes Tuesday to its College Scorecard which now includes data about what college graduates make four years after completing their degrees and student debt trends. The Department of Education Scorecard is designed to help prospective students “find high-value postsecondary programs” that align with their goals. 

The Scorecard was originally developed during the Obama administration as an online tool with data about college costs, acceptance rates, graduation rates and student body diversity. Its original intent was to just prospective students, families, educators, and others information to help them compare colleges.

The new features let students also explore what they might expect as a salary early in their career for all levels of degrees (bachelors, masters, doctorate). Tuition costs and scholarship/grant availability are also indirectly captured as the tool lets students see Folks can also compare median debt and monthly debt payments for various university degrees by school.

I did a quick query for the UA College of Public Health Bachelor’s & Master’s degree programs below. Anyway- I just thought this is an interesting tool for both parents and students to explore as they think about fields of study and colleges.

University of Arizona Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health

MEDIAN EARNINGS 4 YEARS POST GRADUATION: $47,452

MEDIAN DEBT: $21,000

University of Arizona, Master’s Degree in Public Health

MEDIAN EARNINGS 4 YEARS POST GRADUATION: $76,477

MEDIAN DEBT: $47,242