College ROI

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California State University-Chico

Chico, CA 13,631 Undergrads 74.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$26,283
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,480
After Aid
Median Earnings
$65,228
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,480
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$65,228
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$64,172
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate74.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.4
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients41.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
92.7%
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
+$577k
+$110k
+$93k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$525k
+$58k
+$41k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$482k
+$16k
-$2k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
44
78%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-2%
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 Return94%

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-26%
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
$16,875
Earnings (4yr)
$85,612
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Median Debt
$11,250
Earnings (4yr)
$65,198
Natl Median: $66,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Median Debt
$14,750
Earnings (4yr)
$61,369
Natl Median: $53,676
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$17,606
Earnings (4yr)
$48,474
Natl Median: $49,634
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$18,263
Earnings (4yr)
$43,153
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$41,818
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,367
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$17,600
Earnings (4yr)
$71,726
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,245
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (4yr)
$72,651
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$21,125
Earnings (4yr)
$92,472
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$249k
Median Debt
$16,125
Earnings (4yr)
$58,391
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Median Debt
$16,148
Earnings (4yr)
$62,855
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Median Debt
$18,972
Earnings (4yr)
$91,059
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$238k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$97,345
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$286k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$127,498
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$515k
Median Debt
$19,341
Earnings (4yr)
$108,021
Natl Median: $95,124
Lifetime Value Added
+$367k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,464
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Median Debt
$18,227
Earnings (4yr)
$44,629
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,274
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$18,300
Earnings (4yr)
$67,675
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
$18,822
Earnings (4yr)
$106,225
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
+$354k
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$86,430
Natl Median: $89,619
Lifetime Value Added
+$203k
Engineering, Other
BachCIP: 1499
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$103,272
Natl Median: $93,989
Lifetime Value Added
+$331k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,189
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Median Debt
$14,990
Earnings (4yr)
$45,468
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Median Debt
$17,375
Earnings (4yr)
$51,491
Natl Median: $54,945
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$69,500
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,774
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,331
Earnings (4yr)
$69,303
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$16,838
Earnings (4yr)
$49,351
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Median Debt
$16,722
Earnings (4yr)
$41,993
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Median Debt
$15,375
Earnings (4yr)
$67,921
Natl Median: $42,907
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,150
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$18,618
Earnings (4yr)
$63,358
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,200
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,688
Earnings (4yr)
$55,008
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $118,943
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$77,891
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Median Debt
$22,353
Earnings (4yr)
$93,555
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$257k
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$74,888
Natl Median: $62,582
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$42,269
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$69,531
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Natural Sciences
BachCIP: 3018
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,102
Natl Median: $57,935
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$17,272
Earnings (4yr)
$59,146
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Median Debt
$17,886
Earnings (4yr)
$59,765
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$237k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$61,230
Natl Median: $62,172
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
$13,826
Earnings (4yr)
$68,629
Natl Median: $56,567
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$61,293
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,621
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,714
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$117,543
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$440k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,200
Earnings (4yr)
$56,144
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Median Debt
$13,987
Earnings (4yr)
$50,845
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$15,829
Earnings (4yr)
$57,146
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,323
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,978
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,358
Earnings (4yr)
$60,296
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k

Master's Degrees

Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,276
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$109,161
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$294k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,397
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
MastCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,068
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,487
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: $75,122
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Nutrition Sciences
MastCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,126
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,313
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$34,125
Earnings (4yr)
$75,000
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,840
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,443
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$18,968
Earnings (4yr)
$72,273
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,314
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$281k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,432
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
-$344k

Other Programs

Education, General
DegCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,151
Natl Median: $62,645
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,943
Natl Median: $57,802
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$69,432
Natl Median: $59,347
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k

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.