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California State University-Northridge
Northridge, CA 32,357 Undergrads 70.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$20,317
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,599
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,115
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$7,599
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$59,115
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate70.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients56.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time82.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS69.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
93.2%
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
+$510k
+$114k
+$26k
Median Cost$8k/yr
+$483k
+$86k
-$2k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$437k
+$40k
-$48k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
44
∞
Median Cost$8k/yr
Never
-6%
Full Cost$20k/yr
Never
-65%
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-14%
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-48%
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
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$15,007
Earnings (5yr)
$90,327
Lifetime Value Added
+$244k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$18,875
Earnings (5yr)
$106,155
Lifetime Value Added
+$362k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$15,924
Earnings (5yr)
$47,132
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$79,403
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Biotechnology
BachCIP: 2612
Median Debt
$20,618
Earnings (5yr)
$86,383
Lifetime Value Added
+$214k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$14,175
Earnings (5yr)
$66,806
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
BachCIP: 2604
Median Debt
$19,349
Earnings (5yr)
$78,365
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$19,834
Earnings (5yr)
$88,971
Lifetime Value Added
+$234k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$13,999
Earnings (5yr)
$56,058
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$15,823
Earnings (5yr)
$70,031
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$82,112
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$18,346
Earnings (2yr)
$71,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$16,250
Earnings (5yr)
$113,922
Lifetime Value Added
+$420k
Construction Engineering Technologies
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$102,821
Lifetime Value Added
+$337k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,713
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$15,201
Earnings (5yr)
$33,395
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
BachCIP: 2613
Median Debt
$20,335
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$72,184
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$16,382
Earnings (5yr)
$103,360
Lifetime Value Added
+$341k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$16,840
Earnings (5yr)
$48,364
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,239
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1901
Median Debt
$16,375
Earnings (5yr)
$52,308
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$38,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$71,332
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$14,042
Earnings (5yr)
$45,572
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$75,692
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$14,250
Earnings (5yr)
$63,357
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$14,865
Earnings (5yr)
$56,754
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,390
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,354
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,221
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$14,311
Earnings (5yr)
$53,354
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$14,255
Earnings (5yr)
$56,781
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,950
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$21,125
Earnings (5yr)
$84,481
Lifetime Value Added
+$200k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$13,350
Earnings (5yr)
$69,084
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,465
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (5yr)
$100,421
Lifetime Value Added
+$319k
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
BachCIP: 2605
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,199
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,351
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$35,153
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Operations Research
BachCIP: 1437
Median Debt
$15,998
Earnings (5yr)
$77,841
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,662
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,503
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$12,712
Earnings (5yr)
$52,901
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$13,744
Earnings (5yr)
$61,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$14,244
Earnings (5yr)
$46,521
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Real Estate
BachCIP: 5215
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,731
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,041
Earnings (5yr)
$119,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$462k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$17,846
Lifetime Value Added
-$331k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$15,184
Earnings (5yr)
$59,426
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$12,449
Earnings (5yr)
$57,312
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$53,371
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Urban Studies/Affairs
BachCIP: 4512
Median Debt
$11,987
Earnings (5yr)
$70,696
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$60,094
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$34,195
Earnings (5yr)
$116,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$569k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$89,766
Lifetime Value Added
+$338k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$31,023
Earnings (5yr)
$80,979
Lifetime Value Added
+$262k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$67,919
Earnings (5yr)
$86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$307k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$60,161
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
MastCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,569
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$32,568
Earnings (5yr)
$51,797
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$38,464
Earnings (5yr)
$95,942
Lifetime Value Added
+$391k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$127,516
Lifetime Value Added
+$660k
Engineering-Related Fields
MastCIP: 1515
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$114,580
Lifetime Value Added
+$550k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$29,084
Earnings (5yr)
$56,217
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
MastCIP: 1901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
Fine and Studio Arts
MastCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Lifetime Value Added
-$279k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$27,404
Earnings (5yr)
$97,258
Lifetime Value Added
+$402k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$26,579
Earnings (5yr)
$63,620
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Mechanical Engineering
MastCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$122,320
Lifetime Value Added
+$616k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,989
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$37,074
Earnings (5yr)
$91,501
Lifetime Value Added
+$352k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$33,256
Earnings (5yr)
$83,471
Lifetime Value Added
+$283k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$51,482
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$32,228
Earnings (5yr)
$79,887
Lifetime Value Added
+$253k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,697
Lifetime Value Added
+$260k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$38,894
Earnings (5yr)
$72,995
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$134,235
Lifetime Value Added
+$717k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$91,622
Lifetime Value Added
+$353k
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.