College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA 7,304 Undergrads 91.7% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
Share
Total Cost
$86,759
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$35,780
After Aid
Median Earnings
$132,363
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$35,780
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$132,363
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$125,257
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate91.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)19.3
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients17.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS86.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
11.7%
SAT Avg
1,546
SAT Reading
25th: 73075075th: 770
SAT Math
25th: 77079075th: 800
ACT Composite
25th: 343575th: 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
+$602k
+$586k
Median Cost$36k/yr
+$944k
+$474k
+$457k
Full Cost$87k/yr
+$760k
+$290k
+$274k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
24
∞
Median Cost$36k/yr
28
355%
Full Cost$87k/yr
36
88%
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 Return255%

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 Return10%

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

Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
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
+$29k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,333
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,324
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,713
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,824
Earnings (4yr)
$109,648
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$305k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Biopsychology
BachCIP: 3010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$160,783
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$690k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$110,378
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$311k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (5yr)
$73,786
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$105,199
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$271k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Cognitive Science
BachCIP: 3025
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$162,106
Natl Median: $81,496
Lifetime Value Added
+$700k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$19,870
Earnings (4yr)
$187,437
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$889k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$268,121
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$1466k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$138,588
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$523k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$19,881
Earnings (4yr)
$40,073
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$244k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$144,886
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$571k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$250,168
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$1341k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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
+$310k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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 (2yr)
$95,295
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$225k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,726
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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
$22,625
Earnings (4yr)
$62,027
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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
+$382k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$145,741
Natl Median: $88,839
Lifetime Value Added
+$577k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$105,623
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$275k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,649
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$66,283
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$19,000
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
-$145k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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
+$98k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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
+$12k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$156,743
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
+$659k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$146,929
Natl Median: $88,036
Lifetime Value Added
+$586k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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
$73,807
Earnings (4yr)
$59,727
Natl Median: $59,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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
$72,500
Earnings (5yr)
$104,076
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$208,503
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$1110k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$100,848
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
+$166k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$65,734
Earnings (4yr)
$193,154
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$980k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$198,216
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
+$990k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$161,583
Earnings (4yr)
$113,586
Natl Median: $120,083
Lifetime Value Added
+$294k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $114,420
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$53,000
Earnings (4yr)
$146,578
Natl Median: $121,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$579k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $105,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$140,056
Natl Median: $70,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$499k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,860
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$77,283
Earnings (4yr)
$52,930
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$246k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$57,062
Earnings (4yr)
$209,847
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$1122k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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
+$403k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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
-$481k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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
+$612k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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
$99,122
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
$57,062
Earnings (4yr)
$127,603
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$416k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$221,170
Natl Median: $140,634
Lifetime Value Added
+$1216k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$39,953
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$373k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Philosophy
MastCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$84,419
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$63,052
Earnings (4yr)
$103,268
Natl Median: $93,020
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$78,716
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$132,407
Natl Median: $123,816
Lifetime Value Added
+$457k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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: $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

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.