Gainful Employment


For a certificate program to be considered eligible for federal Title IV aid, the program must lead to gainful employment in a recognized occupation.

In accordance with Federal Regulatory Citations, institutions are required to provide the following information for each program that leads to gainful employment:

  • Standard Occupational Classification (SOC)
  • On-time graduation rates
  • Cost of the program to include books and fees
  • Placement rate for students completing the program
  • Median load debt incurred by students who have completed the program

If a program has less than ten graduates per year, the Median Loan Debt and the On-Time Graduation rates are not reported to the public due to privacy issues.

In order for a program to be considered part for gainful employment, the program must meet the following criteria:

  • Must be financial aid eligible
  • Technical program of at least one academic year in length
  • Must lead to a certificate or credentialed non-degree
  • Clock hour programs must be 600 hours or longer
  • College credit certificate programs must be 30 credit hours or less

If you have any questions please reach out to the Financial Aid staff.

Contact Financial Aid

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