College ROI

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California State University-Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA 5,230 Undergrads 71.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$24,039
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,792
After Aid
Median Earnings
$62,152
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$9,792
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$62,152
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate71.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients47.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time76.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
93.1%
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
+$534k
+$137k
+$49k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$498k
+$102k
+$14k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$447k
+$51k
-$37k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
52
40%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-43%
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 Return21%

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-44%
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
$19,375
Earnings (5yr)
$55,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$18,375
Earnings (5yr)
$69,162
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,220
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (2yr)
$35,274
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$13,429
Earnings (5yr)
$56,106
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$92,421
Lifetime Value Added
+$252k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$119,989
Lifetime Value Added
+$457k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,069
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$14,467
Earnings (5yr)
$40,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,572
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$13,038
Earnings (5yr)
$46,275
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$15,898
Earnings (5yr)
$53,872
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$17,874
Earnings (5yr)
$50,286
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Natural Resources Management and Policy
BachCIP: 0302
Median Debt
$19,209
Earnings (5yr)
$69,924
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$15,520
Earnings (5yr)
$58,270
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,948
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,238
Earnings (5yr)
$111,071
Lifetime Value Added
+$391k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,479
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$14,717
Earnings (5yr)
$58,859
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
BachCIP: 5001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k

Master's Degrees

Biotechnology
MastCIP: 2612
Median Debt
$30,861
Earnings (5yr)
$135,808
Lifetime Value Added
+$727k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$120,386
Lifetime Value Added
+$596k

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.