Chicago State University

Chicago, IL 1,384 Undergrads 36.3% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$29,764

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$12,335

After Aid

Median Earnings

$56,486

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,335

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$56,486

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate36.3%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients65.0%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time68.6%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS55.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

43.3%

SAT Avg

SAT Reading

25th: --75th: -

SAT Math

25th: --75th: -

ACT Composite

25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

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

+$507k

+$40k

+$23k

Median Cost$12k/yr

+$463k

-$4k

-$22k

Full Cost$30k/yr

+$400k

-$67k

-$84k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$12k/yr

Never

-48%

Full Cost$30k/yr

Never

-79%

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 Return-46%

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-66%

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 with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education

BachCIP: 1302

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,140

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

$25,708

Earnings (4yr)

$46,898

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

-$101k

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$30,497

Earnings (4yr)

$53,181

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

-$49k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Science

BachCIP: 1107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $107,009

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

BachCIP: 4301

Median Debt

$28,250

Earnings (4yr)

$57,691

Natl Median: $55,378

Lifetime Value Added

-$12k

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

BachCIP: 0502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,710

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health and Medical Administrative Services

BachCIP: 5107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,716

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General

BachCIP: 5100

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $61,296

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

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$37,279

Earnings (5yr)

$46,102

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

-$116k

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

BachCIP: 5115

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$60,704

Natl Median: $52,119

Lifetime Value Added

+$3k

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management

BachCIP: 3103

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,468

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physics

BachCIP: 4008

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $76,786

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$30,886

Earnings (4yr)

$47,168

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$99k

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

BachCIP: 0907

Median Debt

$31,750

Earnings (2yr)

$15,817

Natl Median: $50,497

Lifetime Value Added

-$367k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

BachCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$34,060

Earnings (4yr)

$92,024

Natl Median: $88,910

Lifetime Value Added

+$253k

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions

BachCIP: 5123

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,792

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

$31,250

Earnings (4yr)

$51,485

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

-$63k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$37,500

Earnings (4yr)

$59,296

Natl Median: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

+$1k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,389

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Geography and Cartography

PB-CertCIP: 4507

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $78,228

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Master's Degrees

Biology, General

MastCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,830

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology

MastCIP: 4228

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$57,127

Natl Median: $65,184

Lifetime Value Added

-$172k

Computer Science

MastCIP: 1107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $145,571

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

MastCIP: 4301

Median Debt

$54,493

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $66,714

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Curriculum and Instruction

MastCIP: 1303

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,399

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Educational Administration and Supervision

MastCIP: 1304

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $71,685

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

MastCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,512

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Resources Management and Services

MastCIP: 5210

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $83,558

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Library Science and Administration

MastCIP: 2501

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,301

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

MastCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $72,654

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Public Health

MastCIP: 5122

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $82,751

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions

MastCIP: 5123

Median Debt

$61,462

Earnings (4yr)

$79,288

Natl Median: $71,416

Lifetime Value Added

+$36k

Social Work

MastCIP: 4407

Median Debt

$66,359

Earnings (4yr)

$65,619

Natl Median: $65,123

Lifetime Value Added

-$84k

Special Education and Teaching

MastCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $64,397

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Student Counseling and Personnel Services

MastCIP: 1311

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $60,111

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

MastCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $59,916

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

MastCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,707

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Educational Administration and Supervision

DocCIP: 1304

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $100,573

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Professional Degrees

Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration

ProfCIP: 5120

Median Debt

$191,403

Earnings (4yr)

$132,177

Natl Median: $138,348

Lifetime Value Added

+$288k

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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.