College ROI

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Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI 10,035 Undergrads 62.1% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$30,681
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,597
After Aid
Median Earnings
$61,298
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$17,597
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$61,298
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$55,874
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate62.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.4
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients31.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time86.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
89.8%
SAT Avg
1,091
SAT Reading
25th: 49056575th: 610
SAT Math
25th: 47055075th: 590
ACT Composite
25th: 212375th: 27

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
+$546k
+$79k
+$62k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$483k
+$16k
-$2k
Full Cost$31k/yr
+$436k
-$31k
-$49k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
36
∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-3%
Full Cost$31k/yr
Never
-44%
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 Return15%

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-50%
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

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,641
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$28,125
Earnings (4yr)
$80,551
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,311
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$27,982
Earnings (4yr)
$39,577
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,333
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Natl Median: $60,997
Lifetime Value Added
-$229k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,438
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,113
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,353
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$62,082
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,344
Natl Median: $51,936
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,112
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$89,216
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,839
Natl Median: $93,843
Lifetime Value Added
+$195k
Median Debt
$27,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,254
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Median Debt
$24,877
Earnings (4yr)
$55,134
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (4yr)
$84,064
Natl Median: $71,753
Lifetime Value Added
+$174k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,916
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$65,174
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (4yr)
$91,542
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$231k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$39,262
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,553
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
BachCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,146
Natl Median: $56,185
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$79,906
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,181
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Median Debt
$26,250
Earnings (4yr)
$62,999
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,438
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$67,117
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,918
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Median Debt
$28,937
Earnings (4yr)
$56,314
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,881
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Median Debt
$26,703
Earnings (4yr)
$73,340
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,935
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (4yr)
$61,331
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,775
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Literature
BachCIP: 2314
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,173
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$95,721
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$263k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$77,768
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$75,661
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,265
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$86,472
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$85,196
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Median Debt
$28,125
Earnings (4yr)
$53,353
Natl Median: $52,119
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,089
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Median Debt
$28,644
Earnings (4yr)
$48,290
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,316
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,108
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,731
Natl Median: $50,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,947
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,462
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,422
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,016
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,522
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,942
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Real Estate
BachCIP: 5215
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,821
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,324
Earnings (4yr)
$49,639
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,068
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$211k
Median Debt
$26,745
Earnings (4yr)
$48,409
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$292k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,888
Natl Median: $56,812
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,279
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,389
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,095
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Median Debt
$26,125
Earnings (4yr)
$57,513
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,771
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$81,853
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
+$157k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,677
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Median Debt
$28,987
Earnings (4yr)
$49,588
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$113,288
Earnings (4yr)
$123,450
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$412k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$33,949
Earnings (4yr)
$96,611
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$58,342
Earnings (4yr)
$63,316
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
$36,769
Earnings (4yr)
$99,708
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,703
Earnings (4yr)
$60,135
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,527
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,218
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Median Debt
$27,433
Earnings (4yr)
$73,010
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
$34,724
Earnings (4yr)
$123,591
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$413k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,080
Earnings (4yr)
$69,324
Natl Median: $66,523
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$40,035
Earnings (4yr)
$78,586
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,496
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$35,484
Earnings (4yr)
$80,381
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$101,449
Natl Median: $97,121
Lifetime Value Added
+$221k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$33,186
Earnings (4yr)
$112,443
Natl Median: $106,092
Lifetime Value Added
+$317k
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,229
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,803
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,829
Natl Median: $67,681
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$35,575
Earnings (4yr)
$79,416
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,801
Natl Median: $75,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,216
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,246
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$49,626
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$243k
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,816
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$50,353
Earnings (4yr)
$57,197
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,898
Earnings (4yr)
$62,450
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$101,507
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
+$320k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,196
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,117
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,971
Natl Median: $74,850
Lifetime Value Added
-$213k
Public Administration
Gr-CertCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,022
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
Gr-CertCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,684
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,709
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$125,201
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
+$217k
Median Debt
$106,174
Earnings (4yr)
$88,310
Natl Median: $88,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Median Debt
$40,464
Earnings (4yr)
$90,336
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,809
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,299
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
Medicine
DocCIP: 5112
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $118,504
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $87,076
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$106,465
Earnings (4yr)
$82,493
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,410
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$254,007
Earnings (4yr)
$138,552
Natl Median: $112,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$315k

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.