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Capella University
Minneapolis, MN 16,173 Undergrads 26.8% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$22,029
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,305
After Aid
Median Earnings
$42,189
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$18,305
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$42,189
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate26.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time29.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.0%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
100.0%
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
+$373k
-$23k
-$111k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$307k
-$89k
-$177k
Full Cost$22k/yr
+$294k
-$102k
-$190k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-269%
Full Cost$22k/yr
Never
-240%
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-315%
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-122%
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
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,281
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,043
Earnings (5yr)
$81,606
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other
BachCIP: 1199
Median Debt
$27,411
Earnings (5yr)
$111,354
Lifetime Value Added
+$362k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$25,777
Earnings (5yr)
$90,245
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
BachCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$31,613
Earnings (5yr)
$110,796
Lifetime Value Added
+$358k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,558
Earnings (5yr)
$56,994
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$27,657
Earnings (5yr)
$71,538
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Homeland Security
BachCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,917
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$25,063
Earnings (5yr)
$66,122
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$37,999
Earnings (5yr)
$70,182
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,422
Earnings (5yr)
$48,007
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$11,206
Earnings (5yr)
$96,740
Lifetime Value Added
+$253k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$46,281
Earnings (5yr)
$70,121
Lifetime Value Added
+$149k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$34,121
Earnings (5yr)
$79,520
Lifetime Value Added
+$230k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$60,200
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
MastCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$86,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$291k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
MastCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$40,602
Earnings (5yr)
$109,410
Lifetime Value Added
+$486k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$42,081
Earnings (5yr)
$50,525
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$38,682
Earnings (5yr)
$62,148
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$39,261
Earnings (5yr)
$64,731
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$38,103
Earnings (5yr)
$68,462
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
MastCIP: 1305
Median Debt
$33,324
Earnings (5yr)
$72,004
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
MastCIP: 5207
Median Debt
$52,039
Earnings (2yr)
$34,517
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Finance and Financial Management Services
MastCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$49,442
Earnings (5yr)
$86,561
Lifetime Value Added
+$290k
Gerontology
MastCIP: 3011
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,369
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$34,518
Earnings (5yr)
$70,150
Lifetime Value Added
+$149k
Homeland Security
MastCIP: 4303
Median Debt
$39,929
Earnings (5yr)
$74,475
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
MastCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$46,012
Earnings (5yr)
$49,835
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$42,992
Earnings (5yr)
$74,146
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Human Services, General
MastCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$45,611
Earnings (5yr)
$50,799
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Management Information Systems and Services
MastCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$43,996
Earnings (5yr)
$122,626
Lifetime Value Added
+$599k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
MastCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$44,744
Earnings (5yr)
$89,180
Lifetime Value Added
+$313k
Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$47,657
Earnings (5yr)
$55,164
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$45,797
Earnings (5yr)
$54,422
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$34,698
Earnings (5yr)
$50,381
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Psychology, Other
MastCIP: 4299
Median Debt
$38,799
Earnings (5yr)
$54,520
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other
MastCIP: 4499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,245
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$40,561
Earnings (5yr)
$67,061
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$44,086
Earnings (5yr)
$67,016
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,661
Earnings (5yr)
$115,444
Lifetime Value Added
+$538k
Research and Experimental Psychology
MastCIP: 4227
Median Debt
$43,258
Earnings (5yr)
$48,770
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Social Sciences, Other
MastCIP: 4599
Median Debt
$48,012
Earnings (5yr)
$49,158
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$35,078
Earnings (5yr)
$59,188
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$38,114
Earnings (5yr)
$57,778
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$24,938
Earnings (5yr)
$73,065
Lifetime Value Added
+$174k
Graduate Certificates
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Gr-CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$33,650
Earnings (5yr)
$55,926
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Gr-CertCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$39,736
Earnings (5yr)
$54,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
Gr-CertCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$41,838
Earnings (2yr)
$63,166
Lifetime Value Added
+$195k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Gr-CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,909
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Educational Administration and Supervision
Gr-CertCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$52,008
Earnings (5yr)
$67,322
Lifetime Value Added
+$198k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Gr-CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$38,587
Earnings (2yr)
$52,564
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
Gr-CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$55,913
Earnings (5yr)
$51,296
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Human Resources Management and Services
Gr-CertCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$35,165
Earnings (5yr)
$61,367
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies
Gr-CertCIP: 3023
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,444
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Gr-CertCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$54,556
Earnings (5yr)
$48,652
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Gr-CertCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$53,350
Earnings (5yr)
$56,527
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
Gr-CertCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$54,416
Earnings (5yr)
$44,952
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Doctoral Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
DocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$82,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
DocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$86,947
Earnings (5yr)
$92,085
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
Business/Commerce, General
DocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$108,065
Lifetime Value Added
+$289k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
DocCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$113,856
Earnings (5yr)
$95,197
Lifetime Value Added
+$195k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
DocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$98,917
Earnings (5yr)
$137,254
Lifetime Value Added
+$500k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
DocCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$82,138
Earnings (5yr)
$136,244
Lifetime Value Added
+$493k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
DocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$138,500
Earnings (5yr)
$89,626
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Curriculum and Instruction
DocCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$83,947
Earnings (5yr)
$87,181
Lifetime Value Added
+$137k
Education, General
DocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$114,567
Earnings (5yr)
$81,967
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Education, Other
DocCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$86,574
Earnings (5yr)
$89,032
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$108,834
Earnings (5yr)
$91,543
Lifetime Value Added
+$169k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
DocCIP: 1305
Median Debt
$73,237
Earnings (5yr)
$115,093
Lifetime Value Added
+$340k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
DocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$95,200
Earnings (5yr)
$125,096
Lifetime Value Added
+$412k
Homeland Security
DocCIP: 4303
Median Debt
$92,500
Earnings (5yr)
$114,357
Lifetime Value Added
+$335k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
DocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,835
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Human Resources Management and Services
DocCIP: 5210
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,336
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Human Services, General
DocCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$94,756
Earnings (5yr)
$84,711
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Management Information Systems and Services
DocCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$151,713
Lifetime Value Added
+$604k
Psychology, General
DocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$108,914
Earnings (5yr)
$76,591
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other
DocCIP: 4499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,761
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Public Health
DocCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$96,519
Earnings (2yr)
$60,839
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
DocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$62,201
Earnings (5yr)
$127,480
Lifetime Value Added
+$430k
Social Work
DocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$91,930
Earnings (5yr)
$93,709
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
DocCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$117,409
Earnings (2yr)
$67,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
DocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$83,873
Earnings (5yr)
$100,634
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
DocCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$80,489
Earnings (5yr)
$102,252
Lifetime Value Added
+$247k
Professional Degrees
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
ProfCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$73,945
Earnings (5yr)
$55,018
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
ProfCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$57,628
Earnings (5yr)
$57,252
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
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.