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Clarkson University
Potsdam, NY 2,449 Undergrads 77.4% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$76,451
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$31,955
After Aid
Median Earnings
$89,696
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$31,955
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$89,696
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate77.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients21.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS91.2%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
77.2%
SAT Avg
1,307
SAT Reading
25th: 59363075th: 690
SAT Math
25th: 60565075th: 700
ACT Composite
25th: 262975th: 31
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
+$738k
+$341k
+$253k
Median Cost$32k/yr
+$623k
+$226k
+$138k
Full Cost$76k/yr
+$463k
+$66k
-$22k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
∞
Median Cost$32k/yr
36
120%
Full Cost$76k/yr
Never
-8%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year 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 Return76%
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-42%
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
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$91,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
BachCIP: 1402
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$95,489
Lifetime Value Added
+$195k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$26,240
Earnings (5yr)
$75,369
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$85,471
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$95,129
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,058
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$83,782
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,076
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$110,682
Lifetime Value Added
+$308k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$25,615
Earnings (5yr)
$121,821
Lifetime Value Added
+$391k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$26,094
Earnings (5yr)
$98,812
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
Engineering-Related Fields
BachCIP: 1515
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$89,444
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
BachCIP: 5207
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$61,513
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
BachCIP: 1414
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$73,390
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,806
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (5yr)
$92,873
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,813
Earnings (5yr)
$66,345
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$223k
Master's Degrees
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$155,093
Earnings (5yr)
$126,255
Lifetime Value Added
+$605k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$42,610
Earnings (5yr)
$102,265
Lifetime Value Added
+$400k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$82,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
Engineering-Related Fields
MastCIP: 1515
Median Debt
$14,100
Earnings (5yr)
$135,325
Lifetime Value Added
+$682k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$95,987
Lifetime Value Added
+$346k
Mechanical Engineering
MastCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$102,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$406k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
MastCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$110,878
Lifetime Value Added
+$532k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$29,256
Earnings (5yr)
$60,211
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Professional Degrees
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
ProfCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$197,792
Earnings (5yr)
$74,223
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, 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 should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.