Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies at Florida Atlantic University

With only two Florida schools offering this certificate and a sample size under 30 graduates, these numbers are more of a warning light than a roadmap. That said, what we can see is troubling: graduates earn $22,286 their first year out—putting them $10,000 below the national median for this credential and in just the 5th percentile nationally. While Florida Atlantic ranks better against its single in-state competitor, that's cold comfort when the entire state lags behind national norms for this program.

The debt picture compounds the problem. At $18,125, graduates here carry less debt than the national median, but it's still high relative to those first-year earnings. An 0.81 debt-to-earnings ratio means nearly a year's salary goes to loans—manageable for engineers making $70,000, but punishing at $22,286. The high debt percentile (95th nationally) suggests FAU students are borrowing more than peers at most comparable programs.

If your child is considering this certificate, understand it's positioned as a credential supplement rather than a standalone qualification. These earnings suggest graduates may be working part-time, pursuing further education, or in early-stage nonprofit roles. The small sample size means a few outliers could dramatically skew the picture. Before committing, verify what doors this specific certificate actually opens and whether those $18,000 in loans are necessary to walk through them.