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Bowie State University

Bowie, MD 5,043 Undergrads 49.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$25,220
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,298
After Aid
Median Earnings
$65,066
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,298
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$65,066
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$54,537
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate49.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age22.4
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients44.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time85.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS67.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
72.4%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -47575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -45575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -1975th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$576k
+$109k
+$91k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$506k
+$40k
+$22k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$485k
+$18k
+$682

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
50
32%
Full Cost$25k/yr
64
1%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return99%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-23%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$56,818
Natl Median: $44,889
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$59,995
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Median Debt
$22,897
Earnings (4yr)
$70,427
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Median Debt
$27,500
Earnings (4yr)
$97,030
Natl Median: $77,632
Lifetime Value Added
+$266k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$67,303
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$33,841
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$239k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,707
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,077
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,181
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,082
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$103,814
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$318k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,812
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$57,224
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$22,578
Earnings (4yr)
$57,075
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$55,788
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,746
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,661
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,995
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$83,948
Natl Median: $85,444
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$86,829
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,149
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Median Debt
$39,924
Earnings (4yr)
$98,800
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$194k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$135,681
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$515k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,499
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,146
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,655
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $154,538
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), 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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.