College ROI

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Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH 6,437 Undergrads 85.7% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$85,851
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$41,190
After Aid
Median Earnings
$94,237
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$41,190
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$94,237
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$87,989
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate85.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients17.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS87.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
36.5%
SAT Avg
1,513
SAT Reading
25th: 70071075th: 760
SAT Math
25th: 73076075th: 780
ACT Composite
25th: 323475th: 34

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
+$799k
+$332k
+$315k
Median Cost$41k/yr
+$651k
+$184k
+$166k
Full Cost$86k/yr
+$490k
+$23k
+$6k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
∞
Median Cost$41k/yr
35
112%
Full Cost$86k/yr
62
2%
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 Return94%

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-38%
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

Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$89,760
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Median Debt
$26,061
Earnings (4yr)
$106,134
Natl Median: $98,207
Lifetime Value Added
+$257k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,745
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,161
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,333
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,824
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$53,604
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,713
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$94,168
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$166k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$67,576
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$96,533
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$63,474
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$25,190
Earnings (4yr)
$79,980
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Cognitive Science
BachCIP: 3025
Median Debt
$25,417
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,496
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$25,391
Earnings (4yr)
$143,580
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$540k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$23,883
Earnings (4yr)
$114,601
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$321k
Median Debt
$23,074
Earnings (4yr)
$99,557
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
Engineering Physics
BachCIP: 1412
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,154
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,019
Earnings (5yr)
$50,155
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,909
Earnings (4yr)
$85,493
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,945
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,449
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,855
Earnings (4yr)
$94,197
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$166k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$25,042
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,451
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,919
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,540
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Median Debt
$26,580
Earnings (4yr)
$87,582
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Systems Engineering
BachCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $105,185
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $104,114
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$125,786
Natl Median: $131,346
Lifetime Value Added
+$527k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$94,707
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$118k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $235,700
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $122,434
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$185,764
Earnings (4yr)
$221,536
Natl Median: $162,386
Lifetime Value Added
+$1208k
Median Debt
$146,652
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,276
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,060
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 (2yr)
$43,798
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$325k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,121
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$65,000
Earnings (4yr)
$117,931
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$321k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,837
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Cognitive Science
MastCIP: 3025
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,800
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Dance
MastCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,404
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,527
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$109,243
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$245k
Median Debt
$50,224
Earnings (4yr)
$125,093
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
+$383k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$120,292
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$342k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$70,658
Earnings (4yr)
$67,363
Natl Median: $66,523
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Genetics
MastCIP: 2608
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
$61,262
Earnings (4yr)
$71,948
Natl Median: $100,487
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$44,573
Earnings (4yr)
$115,922
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$304k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,855
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,092
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,282
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $198,417
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Operations Research
MastCIP: 1437
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $161,561
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
MastCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$90,486
Earnings (4yr)
$58,810
Natl Median: $67,681
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $114,668
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$69,447
Earnings (4yr)
$102,438
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Median Debt
$124,668
Earnings (4yr)
$126,688
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$397k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$95,735
Earnings (4yr)
$60,228
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,816
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Systems Engineering
MastCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $144,565
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,010
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$110,325
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$361k

Doctoral Degrees

Anthropology
DocCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,473
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,683
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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 (5yr)
$183,796
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
+$536k
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: $88,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $167,302
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
DocCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $178,476
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,173
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,831
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,500
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Genetics
DocCIP: 2608
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $102,123
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,039
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,734
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,845
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,755
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,435
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Molecular Medicine
DocCIP: 2614
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $114,346
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
DocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,592
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $108,943
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: $93,640
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,514
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
DocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
DocCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,618
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $162,438
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,168
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Dentistry
ProfCIP: 5104
Median Debt
$360,396
Earnings (4yr)
$164,638
Natl Median: $170,812
Lifetime Value Added
+$422k
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$98,460
Earnings (4yr)
$105,964
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$187,457
Earnings (4yr)
$92,532
Natl Median: $112,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$132,649
Natl Median: $133,099
Lifetime Value Added
+$187k

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.