College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA 35,924 Undergrads 82.5% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$22,679
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,440
After Aid
Median Earnings
$63,140
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,440
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$63,140
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$64,403
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate82.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients50.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time85.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
46.3%
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
+$561k
+$94k
+$76k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$523k
+$56k
+$39k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$479k
+$12k
-$5k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
43
103%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-6%
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 Return88%

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-24%
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
$14,551
Earnings (4yr)
$74,839
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Median Debt
$25,775
Earnings (4yr)
$101,797
Natl Median: $98,207
Lifetime Value Added
+$335k
Median Debt
$24,770
Earnings (4yr)
$51,580
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$11,229
Earnings (4yr)
$47,166
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,683
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$15,348
Earnings (4yr)
$50,071
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$79,820
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$12,994
Earnings (4yr)
$61,492
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (4yr)
$106,540
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$371k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$67,853
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$75k
Median Debt
$18,329
Earnings (4yr)
$73,980
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Median Debt
$16,248
Earnings (4yr)
$92,523
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$264k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$12,430
Earnings (4yr)
$67,818
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$75k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$15,850
Earnings (4yr)
$89,457
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$241k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$13,766
Earnings (4yr)
$58,137
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Median Debt
$12,250
Earnings (4yr)
$75,137
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Median Debt
$17,129
Earnings (4yr)
$98,967
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$313k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$14,885
Earnings (4yr)
$101,428
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$332k
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$103,125
Natl Median: $93,843
Lifetime Value Added
+$345k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,513
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$46,387
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$66,435
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Median Debt
$13,151
Earnings (4yr)
$68,578
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$38,270
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,969
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$55,588
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (4yr)
$71,220
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$103,075
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$344k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$72,251
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Median Debt
$14,400
Earnings (4yr)
$49,804
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Median Debt
$12,337
Earnings (4yr)
$50,453
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Median Debt
$12,956
Earnings (4yr)
$50,361
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Median Debt
$14,650
Earnings (4yr)
$78,085
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,349
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,715
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,633
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$13,804
Earnings (4yr)
$52,423
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$57,927
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (4yr)
$46,966
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,857
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,651
Natl Median: $64,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,918
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,192
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,019
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Median Debt
$11,543
Earnings (4yr)
$38,996
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$76,664
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$13,750
Earnings (4yr)
$67,396
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$61,754
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Median Debt
$16,616
Earnings (4yr)
$95,957
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$290k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,988
Natl Median: $62,582
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$21,050
Earnings (4yr)
$47,831
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,040
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Median Debt
$14,750
Earnings (4yr)
$53,933
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$12,919
Earnings (4yr)
$49,062
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$18,654
Earnings (4yr)
$70,462
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Median Debt
$14,236
Earnings (4yr)
$59,787
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$11,952
Earnings (4yr)
$48,926
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$13,200
Earnings (4yr)
$57,296
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,444
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Median Debt
$16,743
Earnings (4yr)
$111,681
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$410k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,123
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,961
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$11,716
Earnings (4yr)
$68,448
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$12,713
Earnings (4yr)
$51,982
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$14,016
Earnings (4yr)
$57,643
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Biotechnology
PB-CertCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,295
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$90,043
Natl Median: $90,056
Lifetime Value Added
+$201k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,228
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Administration
PB-CertCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,626
Natl Median: $85,234
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,346
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,260
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$100,762
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$228k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$114,594
Natl Median: $122,434
Lifetime Value Added
+$348k
Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,276
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
$27,285
Earnings (4yr)
$94,256
Natl Median: $116,060
Lifetime Value Added
+$171k
Area Studies
MastCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,936
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
MastCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$88,600
Natl Median: $71,241
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$120,394
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$399k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$100,315
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
+$224k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,971
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$257k
Median Debt
$21,738
Earnings (4yr)
$86,502
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$100,111
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
+$222k
Dance
MastCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,404
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$61,516
Natl Median: $62,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,169
Earnings (4yr)
$106,225
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$276k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$77,837
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$121,984
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$392k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,197
Earnings (4yr)
$47,026
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$255k
Median Debt
$47,000
Earnings (4yr)
$38,452
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
-$339k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$87,165
Natl Median: $79,784
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,357
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Gerontology
MastCIP: 3011
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,618
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,281
Earnings (4yr)
$98,156
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$129,508
Natl Median: $95,461
Lifetime Value Added
+$478k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,132
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$95,395
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$138,465
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$555k
Median Debt
$39,106
Earnings (4yr)
$78,089
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$32,534
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$398k
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
Philosophy
MastCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, Other
MastCIP: 4299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,796
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,136
Earnings (4yr)
$86,271
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$26,210
Earnings (4yr)
$88,743
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$138,776
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$558k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,087
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$246k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$77,150
Natl Median: $66,129
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$30,414
Earnings (4yr)
$82,395
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Median Debt
$17,157
Earnings (4yr)
$91,444
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,602
Earnings (4yr)
$72,540
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$72,822
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$91,505
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$76,460
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k

Graduate Certificates

Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
Gr-CertCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,957
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,500
Earnings (4yr)
$139,937
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$688k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$125,689
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
Median Debt
$75,421
Earnings (5yr)
$90,553
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,347
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.