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California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
Arcata, CA 5,491 Undergrads 63.8% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$24,412
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,167
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,626
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$13,167
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$47,626
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate63.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients47.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time89.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS62.6%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
98.8%
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
+$418k
+$22k
-$66k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$371k
-$26k
-$114k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$330k
-$66k
-$154k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-240%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-176%
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-209%
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-101%
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
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$17,986
Earnings (5yr)
$46,504
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,875
Earnings (5yr)
$50,531
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Botany/Plant Biology
BachCIP: 2603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,224
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$15,448
Earnings (5yr)
$58,979
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$17,625
Earnings (2yr)
$53,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$16,475
Earnings (5yr)
$48,299
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$23,164
Earnings (2yr)
$17,470
Lifetime Value Added
-$355k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,561
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$16,833
Earnings (5yr)
$38,092
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
BachCIP: 1414
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$81,168
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$18,199
Earnings (5yr)
$35,523
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management
BachCIP: 0303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,874
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Forestry
BachCIP: 0305
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,673
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,093
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$19,940
Earnings (5yr)
$48,634
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (5yr)
$49,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,640
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$36,866
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$15,993
Earnings (5yr)
$38,082
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$15,901
Earnings (5yr)
$45,421
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$283k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,871
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Natural Resources Management and Policy
BachCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,629
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,192
Lifetime Value Added
-$311k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,661
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$18,300
Earnings (5yr)
$54,461
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,990
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (5yr)
$52,626
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$15,693
Earnings (2yr)
$22,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$312k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$57,147
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$14,755
Earnings (5yr)
$51,759
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
BachCIP: 0306
Median Debt
$21,889
Earnings (5yr)
$41,148
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Zoology/Animal Biology
BachCIP: 2607
Median Debt
$20,095
Earnings (5yr)
$37,169
Lifetime Value Added
-$194k
Master's Degrees
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,134
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
MastCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$24,185
Earnings (5yr)
$62,897
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$38,684
Earnings (5yr)
$73,108
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$29,654
Earnings (5yr)
$72,074
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
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.