College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Bowie State University

Bowie, MD 5,207 Undergrads 51.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$24,302
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,335
After Aid
Median Earnings
$54,537
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,335
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$54,537
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate51.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients48.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time84.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS67.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
83.5%
SAT Avg
935
SAT Reading
25th: 42347575th: 540
SAT Math
25th: 37345575th: 543
ACT Composite
25th: -1975th: -

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
+$474k
+$77k
-$11k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$404k
+$8k
-$80k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$386k
-$10k
-$98k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-115%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-112%
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-101%

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-75%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1002
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$57,453
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$22,897
Earnings (5yr)
$66,612
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other
BachCIP: 1199
Median Debt
$27,500
Earnings (5yr)
$92,492
Lifetime Value Added
+$218k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,864
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,715
Lifetime Value Added
-$292k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,375
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,973
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$103,809
Lifetime Value Added
+$302k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$22,578
Earnings (5yr)
$46,473
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,204
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k

Master's Degrees

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
MastCIP: 0999
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$89,182
Lifetime Value Added
+$311k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$39,924
Earnings (5yr)
$80,468
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$112,683
Lifetime Value Added
+$513k

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.