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Capella University

Minneapolis, MN 18,364 Undergrads 30.0% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$22,820
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,956
After Aid
Median Earnings
$84,333
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$17,956
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$84,333
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+100%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$42,189
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate30.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age35.6
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients37.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time32.5%
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
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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$723k
+$256k
+$239k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$659k
+$192k
+$174k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$641k
+$174k
+$157k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
32
270%
Full Cost$23k/yr
33
191%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return457%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return84%
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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,556
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,967
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
+$269k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$71,589
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Median Debt
$21,043
Earnings (4yr)
$87,997
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$202k
Median Debt
$27,411
Earnings (4yr)
$80,076
Natl Median: $77,632
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
Median Debt
$25,777
Earnings (4yr)
$99,561
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$291k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,439
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,894
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,613
Earnings (4yr)
$109,194
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$364k
Median Debt
$25,558
Earnings (4yr)
$59,375
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Data Processing
BachCIP: 1103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,978
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$78,941
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
Median Debt
$27,657
Earnings (4yr)
$76,334
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Homeland Security
BachCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,446
Natl Median: $70,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Median Debt
$25,063
Earnings (4yr)
$76,004
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$37,999
Earnings (4yr)
$80,588
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,739
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,422
Earnings (4yr)
$51,571
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Median Debt
$11,206
Earnings (4yr)
$97,211
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$46,281
Earnings (4yr)
$89,892
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Median Debt
$34,121
Earnings (4yr)
$96,768
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$179k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,014
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Median Debt
$36,595
Earnings (4yr)
$53,197
Natl Median: $67,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$86,694
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Median Debt
$40,602
Earnings (4yr)
$112,573
Natl Median: $121,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$317k
Median Debt
$42,081
Earnings (4yr)
$62,676
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Median Debt
$38,682
Earnings (4yr)
$70,537
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$18,220
Earnings (4yr)
$71,396
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$39,261
Earnings (4yr)
$72,432
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Median Debt
$38,103
Earnings (4yr)
$73,420
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Median Debt
$33,324
Earnings (4yr)
$80,916
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Median Debt
$52,039
Earnings (2yr)
$34,517
Natl Median: $97,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$378k
Median Debt
$49,442
Earnings (4yr)
$83,324
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Gerontology
MastCIP: 3011
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,856
Natl Median: $67,618
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k
Median Debt
$34,518
Earnings (4yr)
$93,044
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,461
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Homeland Security
MastCIP: 4303
Median Debt
$39,929
Earnings (4yr)
$76,702
Natl Median: $96,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Median Debt
$46,012
Earnings (4yr)
$55,244
Natl Median: $58,524
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Median Debt
$42,992
Earnings (4yr)
$81,093
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Median Debt
$45,611
Earnings (4yr)
$55,797
Natl Median: $57,050
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Median Debt
$43,996
Earnings (4yr)
$136,210
Natl Median: $106,092
Lifetime Value Added
+$522k
Median Debt
$44,744
Earnings (4yr)
$109,421
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$290k
Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$47,657
Earnings (4yr)
$81,837
Natl Median: $79,106
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Median Debt
$33,064
Earnings (4yr)
$100,105
Natl Median: $101,441
Lifetime Value Added
+$208k
Median Debt
$45,797
Earnings (4yr)
$59,050
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$34,698
Earnings (4yr)
$59,640
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Psychology, Other
MastCIP: 4299
Median Debt
$38,799
Earnings (4yr)
$55,115
Natl Median: $61,796
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,245
Natl Median: $70,135
Lifetime Value Added
-$304k
Median Debt
$40,561
Earnings (4yr)
$75,626
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$44,086
Earnings (4yr)
$74,751
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Median Debt
$27,661
Earnings (4yr)
$117,823
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$363k
Median Debt
$43,258
Earnings (4yr)
$53,408
Natl Median: $63,216
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
Median Debt
$50,541
Earnings (4yr)
$105,757
Natl Median: $82,399
Lifetime Value Added
+$258k
Median Debt
$48,012
Earnings (4yr)
$50,531
Natl Median: $64,286
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Median Debt
$35,078
Earnings (4yr)
$61,268
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,348
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Median Debt
$38,114
Earnings (4yr)
$58,879
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Median Debt
$24,938
Earnings (4yr)
$94,795
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,736
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,363
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$33,650
Earnings (4yr)
$85,027
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Median Debt
$39,736
Earnings (4yr)
$56,817
Natl Median: $65,509
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Median Debt
$41,838
Earnings (4yr)
$101,426
Natl Median: $101,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$319k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,909
Natl Median: $74,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$269k
Median Debt
$64,919
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,414
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
Gr-CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,448
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
Gr-CertCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$60,680
Earnings (4yr)
$83,416
Natl Median: $59,921
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Median Debt
$52,008
Earnings (4yr)
$78,507
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,166
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,275
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$38,587
Earnings (4yr)
$64,656
Natl Median: $99,117
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
Gr-CertCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,957
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Homeland Security
Gr-CertCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,606
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$55,913
Earnings (4yr)
$49,557
Natl Median: $60,191
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Median Debt
$35,165
Earnings (4yr)
$81,260
Natl Median: $74,850
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,444
Natl Median: $48,444
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
Median Debt
$33,007
Earnings (4yr)
$108,689
Natl Median: $122,843
Lifetime Value Added
+$388k
Median Debt
$17,342
Earnings (4yr)
$96,426
Natl Median: $95,753
Lifetime Value Added
+$271k
Median Debt
$54,556
Earnings (4yr)
$52,315
Natl Median: $60,655
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Median Debt
$53,350
Earnings (4yr)
$59,798
Natl Median: $72,899
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Public Health
Gr-CertCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$24,020
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,684
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$35,619
Earnings (4yr)
$110,330
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$403k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,774
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$54,416
Earnings (4yr)
$58,651
Natl Median: $63,709
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,444
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$82,440
Natl Median: $158,084
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Median Debt
$86,947
Earnings (4yr)
$121,925
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,418
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$107,902
Natl Median: $149,621
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Median Debt
$113,856
Earnings (4yr)
$87,549
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Median Debt
$98,917
Earnings (4yr)
$158,849
Natl Median: $154,538
Lifetime Value Added
+$463k
Median Debt
$82,138
Earnings (4yr)
$175,839
Natl Median: $172,649
Lifetime Value Added
+$588k
Median Debt
$138,500
Earnings (4yr)
$96,102
Natl Median: $86,427
Lifetime Value Added
+$747
Median Debt
$83,947
Earnings (4yr)
$91,034
Natl Median: $83,031
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Education, General
DocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$114,567
Earnings (4yr)
$96,095
Natl Median: $87,373
Lifetime Value Added
+$696
Education, Other
DocCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$86,574
Earnings (4yr)
$91,214
Natl Median: $90,635
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Median Debt
$108,834
Earnings (4yr)
$85,817
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Median Debt
$73,237
Earnings (4yr)
$89,389
Natl Median: $89,809
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $144,778
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$95,200
Earnings (4yr)
$96,495
Natl Median: $126,299
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Homeland Security
DocCIP: 4303
Median Debt
$92,500
Earnings (5yr)
$114,357
Natl Median: $149,417
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,835
Natl Median: $92,538
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$159,344
Natl Median: $110,734
Lifetime Value Added
+$467k
Median Debt
$94,756
Earnings (4yr)
$71,288
Natl Median: $70,068
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$151,713
Natl Median: $132,346
Lifetime Value Added
+$389k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $193,221
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
DocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $146,358
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,066
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$108,914
Earnings (4yr)
$82,098
Natl Median: $98,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,761
Natl Median: $92,569
Lifetime Value Added
-$213k
Median Debt
$116,756
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,464
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
DocCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$96,519
Earnings (4yr)
$105,140
Natl Median: $108,962
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Median Debt
$62,201
Earnings (4yr)
$134,483
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$284k
Median Debt
$139,251
Earnings (4yr)
$73,080
Natl Median: $73,599
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Social Work
DocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$91,930
Earnings (5yr)
$93,709
Natl Median: $98,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Median Debt
$117,409
Earnings (4yr)
$86,593
Natl Median: $83,794
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Median Debt
$83,873
Earnings (4yr)
$87,754
Natl Median: $81,822
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Median Debt
$80,489
Earnings (4yr)
$103,882
Natl Median: $85,168
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
$73,945
Earnings (4yr)
$57,744
Natl Median: $57,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$288k
Median Debt
$57,628
Earnings (4yr)
$60,258
Natl Median: $60,172
Lifetime Value Added
-$268k

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.