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Cleveland State University
Cleveland, OH 9,077 Undergrads 54.1% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$26,310
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,065
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,131
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$16,065
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$52,131
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate54.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients39.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time82.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS72.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
95.5%
SAT Avg
980
SAT Reading
25th: -52075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -51575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 172375th: 25
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
+$454k
+$58k
-$30k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$397k
+$226
-$88k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$360k
-$37k
-$125k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
Never
-152%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-132%
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 Return-135%
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-85%
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
$20,661
Earnings (5yr)
$75,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$90,920
Lifetime Value Added
+$218k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$32,927
Lifetime Value Added
-$241k
Biology Technician/Biotechnology Laboratory Technician
BachCIP: 4101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,193
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (5yr)
$49,572
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$23,492
Earnings (5yr)
$60,137
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$25,550
Earnings (5yr)
$84,127
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$23,391
Earnings (5yr)
$65,091
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$26,117
Earnings (5yr)
$72,837
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,186
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,496
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$31,125
Earnings (5yr)
$100,089
Lifetime Value Added
+$286k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$24,228
Earnings (5yr)
$78,588
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$52,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$26,875
Earnings (5yr)
$45,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$23,781
Earnings (2yr)
$21,894
Lifetime Value Added
-$324k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (5yr)
$66,265
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Educational Administration and Supervision
BachCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$20,154
Earnings (5yr)
$46,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$94,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$241k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$20,824
Earnings (5yr)
$38,489
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$38,453
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$21,875
Earnings (5yr)
$76,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (5yr)
$25,265
Lifetime Value Added
-$307k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 5199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
BachCIP: 5111
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$59,581
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (2yr)
$36,401
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$22,960
Earnings (2yr)
$31,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$233k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,186
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$18,716
Earnings (5yr)
$68,126
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$56,886
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$18,875
Earnings (5yr)
$61,553
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1508
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,673
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$83,818
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$19,038
Earnings (5yr)
$49,911
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,375
Earnings (5yr)
$55,974
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,670
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Public Administration
BachCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,917
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,698
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,590
Earnings (5yr)
$67,850
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$214k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,429
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,169
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$24,125
Earnings (5yr)
$43,995
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Urban Studies/Affairs
BachCIP: 4512
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,869
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$39,900
Earnings (5yr)
$87,034
Lifetime Value Added
+$299k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (5yr)
$90,235
Lifetime Value Added
+$326k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$46,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,101
Lifetime Value Added
-$340
Community Organization and Advocacy
MastCIP: 4402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,181
Lifetime Value Added
+$265k
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,152
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$100,907
Lifetime Value Added
+$418k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,426
Earnings (5yr)
$58,545
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
MastCIP: 5199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$114,635
Lifetime Value Added
+$535k
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,086
Lifetime Value Added
+$118k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$40,935
Earnings (5yr)
$58,930
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,731
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$75,204
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$51,250
Earnings (5yr)
$76,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$208k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$37,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,700
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$50,999
Earnings (5yr)
$55,353
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$43,024
Earnings (5yr)
$45,381
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Graduate Certificates
Education, Other
Gr-CertCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,860
Lifetime Value Added
+$354k
Doctoral Degrees
Education, General
DocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,310
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,547
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$71,500
Earnings (5yr)
$85,742
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
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.