College ROI

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California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA 21,996 Undergrads 87.1% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$32,265
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,665
After Aid
Median Earnings
$90,662
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,665
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$90,662
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$90,768
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate87.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients18.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS86.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
31.3%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$772k
+$305k
+$287k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$712k
+$245k
+$227k
Full Cost$32k/yr
+$656k
+$189k
+$171k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
30
379%
Full Cost$32k/yr
34
147%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return372%

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 Return53%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$107,498
Natl Median: $98,207
Lifetime Value Added
+$356k
Median Debt
$16,000
Earnings (4yr)
$88,396
Natl Median: $66,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Median Debt
$15,374
Earnings (4yr)
$92,603
Natl Median: $84,624
Lifetime Value Added
+$242k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$78,080
Natl Median: $71,278
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$80,965
Natl Median: $54,152
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
Median Debt
$21,903
Earnings (4yr)
$84,412
Natl Median: $53,676
Lifetime Value Added
+$180k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,805
Natl Median: $49,634
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$92,767
Natl Median: $89,406
Lifetime Value Added
+$243k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$27,500
Earnings (4yr)
$76,613
Natl Median: $66,914
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$78,097
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,854
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$109,232
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$369k
Median Debt
$16,633
Earnings (4yr)
$110,902
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$382k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$104,949
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$321k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$15,259
Earnings (4yr)
$63,882
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Median Debt
$19,334
Earnings (4yr)
$80,820
Natl Median: $66,874
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$20,424
Earnings (4yr)
$101,072
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$307k
Median Debt
$14,857
Earnings (4yr)
$75,223
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$192,621
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$968k
Median Debt
$20,556
Earnings (4yr)
$148,950
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$668k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$154,784
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$712k
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$118,331
Natl Median: $95,124
Lifetime Value Added
+$438k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,697
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$204k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$98,927
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$290k
Median Debt
$23,475
Earnings (4yr)
$125,240
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$490k
Engineering Science
BachCIP: 1413
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,782
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$63,413
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$102,702
Natl Median: $81,171
Lifetime Value Added
+$319k
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
BachCIP: 0302
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$68,965
Natl Median: $56,185
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,886
Earnings (4yr)
$59,721
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$75,466
Natl Median: $70,873
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,469
Natl Median: $54,945
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Forestry
BachCIP: 0305
Median Debt
$17,333
Earnings (4yr)
$77,419
Natl Median: $58,784
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,227
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Median Debt
$17,961
Earnings (4yr)
$79,432
Natl Median: $43,283
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$15,833
Earnings (4yr)
$66,518
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Median Debt
$19,691
Earnings (4yr)
$112,797
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$396k
Median Debt
$17,272
Earnings (4yr)
$89,195
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$70,829
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Median Debt
$22,583
Earnings (4yr)
$68,795
Natl Median: $66,387
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$68,171
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marine Sciences
BachCIP: 3032
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,667
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (4yr)
$100,599
Natl Median: $91,449
Lifetime Value Added
+$303k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$16,636
Earnings (4yr)
$83,187
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$106,750
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$350k
Median Debt
$21,744
Earnings (2yr)
$36,852
Natl Median: $62,582
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$88,015
Natl Median: $54,315
Lifetime Value Added
+$194k
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$17,166
Earnings (4yr)
$68,930
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,743
Natl Median: $50,468
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Median Debt
$15,400
Earnings (4yr)
$75,181
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$98,592
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
+$288k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$23,886
Earnings (4yr)
$96,805
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$274k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$82,487
Natl Median: $56,567
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Median Debt
$17,831
Earnings (4yr)
$81,843
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,916
Earnings (4yr)
$60,466
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Median Debt
$16,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,360
Natl Median: $56,812
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$69,883
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
Soil Sciences
BachCIP: 0112
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,122
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,579
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
$17,939
Earnings (4yr)
$101,353
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
+$309k
Median Debt
$18,340
Earnings (4yr)
$55,543
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,020
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$134,105
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$506k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$132,720
Natl Median: $122,434
Lifetime Value Added
+$494k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$71,486
Natl Median: $61,941
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Animal Sciences
MastCIP: 0109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,394
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,356
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$80,022
Natl Median: $74,139
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$113,572
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
+$328k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$108,148
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$281k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$92,498
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
+$128k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$89,909
Natl Median: $79,665
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$15,564
Earnings (4yr)
$106,004
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
+$262k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$235,241
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$1364k
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,570
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$158,977
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$721k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$78,971
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Engineering, Other
MastCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
MastCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$141,848
Natl Median: $86,743
Lifetime Value Added
+$549k
Forestry
MastCIP: 0305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $119,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$131,448
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$483k
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$127,908
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$453k
Nutrition Sciences
MastCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,126
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$69,419
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,020
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $114,810
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$104,117
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
+$246k

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.