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Boise State University
Boise, ID 17,081 Undergrads 56.9% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$25,387
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,182
After Aid
Median Earnings
$51,658
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$19,182
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$51,658
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate56.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time79.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
84.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$451k
+$54k
-$34k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$382k
-$15k
-$103k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$359k
-$37k
-$125k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-149%
Full Cost$25k/yr
Never
-137%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return-144%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-86%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Certificates
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
CertCIP: 0999
Median Debt
$21,641
Earnings (5yr)
$60,768
Lifetime Value Added
+$174k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
CertCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$22,248
Earnings (5yr)
$65,309
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Associate's Degrees
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,956
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$13,959
Earnings (5yr)
$41,838
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,970
Earnings (5yr)
$67,888
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$16,551
Earnings (5yr)
$76,056
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$25,475
Earnings (5yr)
$39,991
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,096
Earnings (5yr)
$54,715
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,814
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$19,900
Earnings (5yr)
$59,854
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (2yr)
$49,436
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,112
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$26,880
Earnings (5yr)
$79,687
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,946
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$13,550
Earnings (5yr)
$85,604
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$117,709
Lifetime Value Added
+$407k
Construction Management
BachCIP: 5220
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$111,191
Lifetime Value Added
+$358k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$20,375
Earnings (5yr)
$48,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$26,618
Earnings (5yr)
$39,301
Lifetime Value Added
-$197k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$15,922
Lifetime Value Added
-$391k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (2yr)
$39,909
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$32,250
Earnings (5yr)
$113,075
Lifetime Value Added
+$372k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$24,618
Earnings (5yr)
$40,337
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$77,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$25,360
Earnings (5yr)
$58,595
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,962
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 5199
Median Debt
$22,953
Earnings (5yr)
$59,941
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
BachCIP: 5111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$264k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$41,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
$25,002
Earnings (5yr)
$59,514
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,623
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,259
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$24,667
Earnings (5yr)
$85,566
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
BachCIP: 3000
Median Debt
$24,051
Earnings (5yr)
$53,063
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$21,324
Earnings (5yr)
$54,169
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$18,616
Earnings (5yr)
$48,167
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,600
Earnings (5yr)
$53,410
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,399
Earnings (5yr)
$45,664
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (2yr)
$42,188
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$17,033
Earnings (5yr)
$82,246
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$22,708
Earnings (5yr)
$48,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
$23,900
Earnings (5yr)
$46,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,929
Earnings (5yr)
$52,297
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,635
Earnings (5yr)
$43,175
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (2yr)
$35,772
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$22,177
Earnings (5yr)
$45,561
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$24,547
Earnings (5yr)
$49,857
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$17,484
Earnings (5yr)
$89,705
Lifetime Value Added
+$316k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$40,804
Earnings (5yr)
$112,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$508k
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
MastCIP: 0403
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$19,823
Earnings (5yr)
$76,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$203k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
MastCIP: 1305
Median Debt
$25,650
Earnings (5yr)
$73,157
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$262k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,461
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$23,596
Earnings (5yr)
$61,703
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,668
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$29,006
Earnings (5yr)
$59,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$47,316
Earnings (5yr)
$46,241
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,104
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Graduate Certificates
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
Gr-CertCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,617
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.