College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA 32,691 Undergrads 72.2% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$20,014
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$6,346
After Aid
Median Earnings
$63,019
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,346
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$63,019
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$63,721
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate72.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)22.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients58.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time84.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS70.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
93.5%
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
+$553k
+$83k
+$67k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$530k
+$60k
+$44k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$481k
+$11k
-$5k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
35
∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
41
191%
Full Cost$20k/yr
Never
-8%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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 Return86%

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-23%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$18,646
Earnings (4yr)
$92,329
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$279k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$105,747
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$382k
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Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$10,750
Earnings (4yr)
$43,192
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
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Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,077
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$14,930
Earnings (4yr)
$59,100
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
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Biotechnology
BachCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,542
Natl Median: $67,097
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
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Median Debt
$12,875
Earnings (4yr)
$65,760
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$75k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,096
Natl Median: $66,697
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,878
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
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Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$17,625
Earnings (4yr)
$97,123
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$316k
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Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,138
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
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Median Debt
$14,373
Earnings (4yr)
$65,188
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
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Median Debt
$16,275
Earnings (4yr)
$91,131
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$270k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$101,021
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$346k
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Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (4yr)
$101,348
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$348k
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Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$89,804
Natl Median: $93,843
Lifetime Value Added
+$260k
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Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,169
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
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Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,676
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
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Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,240
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,940
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
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Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$72,890
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
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Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$104,065
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$369k
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Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,660
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
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Median Debt
$16,250
Earnings (4yr)
$50,708
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
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Median Debt
$19,036
Earnings (4yr)
$55,327
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
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Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,913
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
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Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,656
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
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Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$42,904
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,580
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$69,323
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$13,867
Earnings (4yr)
$60,740
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
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History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,821
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,644
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
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Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$45,088
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,351
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
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Median Debt
$11,497
Earnings (4yr)
$52,772
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$32,939
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$201k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$88,999
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$254k
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Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$11,725
Earnings (4yr)
$64,373
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,077
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
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Median Debt
$13,350
Earnings (4yr)
$99,216
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$332k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,737
Natl Median: $62,582
Lifetime Value Added
+$194k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,503
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$220k
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Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,669
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
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Operations Research
BachCIP: 1437
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,344
Natl Median: $122,531
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
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Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,566
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
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Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,177
Earnings (4yr)
$57,527
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,792
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
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Median Debt
$34,173
Earnings (4yr)
$85,789
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
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Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$13,950
Earnings (4yr)
$55,989
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
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Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,359
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
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Real Estate
BachCIP: 5215
Median Debt
$16,093
Earnings (4yr)
$57,174
Natl Median: $84,821
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
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Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$116,613
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$464k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,235
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,345
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
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Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,988
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
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Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,500
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,663
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
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Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$72,148
Natl Median: $62,532
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$98,558
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$217k
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Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,276
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,271
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,500
Earnings (4yr)
$115,123
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$362k
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Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$104,388
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
+$268k
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Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$83,681
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,784
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
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Median Debt
$64,218
Earnings (4yr)
$76,505
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$178,136
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$905k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,459
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$370k
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Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,067
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$101,424
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$242k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$95,739
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$80,493
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,735
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,537
Natl Median: $60,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
-$496k
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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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$95,444
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
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History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
-$286k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,835
Natl Median: $74,856
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$129,151
Natl Median: $122,873
Lifetime Value Added
+$483k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,282
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$82,756
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
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Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,697
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
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Nutrition Sciences
MastCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,126
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 (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$320k
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Median Debt
$36,134
Earnings (4yr)
$92,353
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
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Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$37,000
Earnings (4yr)
$83,400
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
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Median Debt
$42,658
Earnings (2yr)
$51,482
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$81,505
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
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Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$85,826
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$35,712
Earnings (4yr)
$75,660
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
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Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$108,576
Natl Median: $114,810
Lifetime Value Added
+$304k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$89,925
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
+$141k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,061
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
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Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
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.