College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA 7,304 Undergrads 90.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$83,654
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$31,944
After Aid
Median Earnings
$132,971
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$31,944
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$132,971
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$114,862
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate90.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.3
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients15.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS89.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
11.7%
SAT Avg
1,546
SAT Reading
25th: 73073575th: 770
SAT Math
25th: 77078575th: 800
ACT Composite
25th: 343475th: 35

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
+$1.1M
+$626k
+$608k
Median Cost$32k/yr
+$977k
+$511k
+$493k
Full Cost$84k/yr
+$791k
+$324k
+$307k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
24
∞
Median Cost$32k/yr
27
429%
Full Cost$84k/yr
34
102%
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 Return283%

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 Return19%
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

Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,074
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,439
Natl Median: $66,914
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,333
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,713
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$109,648
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$317k
Biopsychology
BachCIP: 3010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$160,783
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$702k
Median Debt
$23,125
Earnings (4yr)
$110,378
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$323k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$92,818
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$105,199
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$283k
Cognitive Science
BachCIP: 3025
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$162,106
Natl Median: $81,496
Lifetime Value Added
+$712k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$187,437
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$902k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$21,442
Earnings (4yr)
$268,121
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$1476k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$138,588
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$535k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,073
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$230k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$22,020
Earnings (4yr)
$144,886
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$583k
Median Debt
$22,224
Earnings (4yr)
$250,168
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$1352k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,619
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$110,208
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$321k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$177,848
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$804k
Median Debt
$21,281
Earnings (4yr)
$53,726
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,515
Earnings (4yr)
$62,027
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Materials Sciences
BachCIP: 4010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$119,715
Natl Median: $94,684
Lifetime Value Added
+$393k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$145,741
Natl Median: $88,839
Lifetime Value Added
+$589k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,777
Earnings (4yr)
$105,623
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$286k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,649
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$24,431
Earnings (5yr)
$23,666
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$378k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,683
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$82,433
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,721
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,205
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,452
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$156,743
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
+$672k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$146,929
Natl Median: $88,036
Lifetime Value Added
+$598k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
MastCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$70,864
Earnings (4yr)
$59,727
Natl Median: $59,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,121
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$65,577
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Median Debt
$110,500
Earnings (4yr)
$208,503
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$1118k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,468
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,665
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$111,544
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
+$263k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,305
Earnings (4yr)
$193,154
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$988k
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
$111,064
Earnings (4yr)
$113,586
Natl Median: $120,083
Lifetime Value Added
+$300k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $114,420
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$51,970
Earnings (4yr)
$146,578
Natl Median: $121,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$586k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $105,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$64,233
Earnings (2yr)
$106,421
Natl Median: $70,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$275k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,860
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$79,859
Earnings (4yr)
$52,930
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$237k
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$209,847
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$1129k
Engineering Science
MastCIP: 1413
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
MastCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $111,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$126,105
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$409k
Engineering, Other
MastCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,055
Natl Median: $50,850
Lifetime Value Added
-$471k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,858
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$150,366
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$619k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,403
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,627
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,092
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$80,887
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $122,873
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Materials Sciences
MastCIP: 4010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,810
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$34,193
Earnings (4yr)
$127,603
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$422k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$221,170
Natl Median: $140,634
Lifetime Value Added
+$1222k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$50,693
Earnings (4yr)
$39,953
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$364k
Philosophy
MastCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$40,772
Earnings (4yr)
$84,419
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$103,268
Natl Median: $93,020
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Median Debt
$29,204
Earnings (4yr)
$78,716
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$132,407
Natl Median: $123,816
Lifetime Value Added
+$463k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,897
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,460
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,983
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,848
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,110
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $141,187
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
DocCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $154,538
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
DocCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $178,476
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
DocCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $135,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $157,305
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,630
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,325
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,345
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Materials Sciences
DocCIP: 4010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $144,084
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
DocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,070
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
DocCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,449
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
DocCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,153
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $119,220
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,692
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Statistics
DocCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $156,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,308
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.