College ROI

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Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH 8,969 Undergrads 55.6% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$27,159
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,764
After Aid
Median Earnings
$61,322
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,764
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$61,322
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$52,131
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate55.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age23.7
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time83.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS72.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
91.3%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -52075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -51575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2375th: -

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$546k
+$79k
+$62k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$493k
+$26k
+$9k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$449k
-$18k
-$36k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
36
∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
56
17%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-37%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return30%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-44%
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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,001
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Real Estate
CertCIP: 5215
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,762
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,661
Earnings (4yr)
$73,476
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$83,938
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$38,972
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$53,898
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Biology/Biotechnology Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 4101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,193
Natl Median: $63,102
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Median Debt
$23,492
Earnings (4yr)
$58,930
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,550
Earnings (4yr)
$81,185
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$23,391
Earnings (4yr)
$63,541
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$26,117
Earnings (4yr)
$73,575
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Median Debt
$21,950
Earnings (4yr)
$55,038
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,688
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,540
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Median Debt
$31,125
Earnings (4yr)
$86,337
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$201k
Median Debt
$24,228
Earnings (4yr)
$88,595
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$218k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$22,115
Earnings (4yr)
$100,385
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$308k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$52,713
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,875
Earnings (4yr)
$46,635
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Median Debt
$23,781
Earnings (4yr)
$36,174
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (4yr)
$62,852
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Median Debt
$20,154
Earnings (4yr)
$41,308
Natl Median: $47,433
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$87,713
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$88,732
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Median Debt
$20,824
Earnings (4yr)
$41,767
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$37,745
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Median Debt
$21,875
Earnings (4yr)
$73,669
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (4yr)
$36,603
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$198k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,300
Natl Median: $64,046
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (4yr)
$67,214
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$24,625
Earnings (4yr)
$42,859
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,203
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Median Debt
$24,812
Earnings (4yr)
$72,661
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,241
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Median Debt
$22,960
Earnings (4yr)
$45,045
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,716
Earnings (4yr)
$67,614
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$61,829
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$18,875
Earnings (4yr)
$58,346
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,673
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$85,184
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,612
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,645
Earnings (4yr)
$29,842
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$257k
Median Debt
$19,038
Earnings (4yr)
$53,245
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,539
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,375
Earnings (4yr)
$49,647
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,090
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,917
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,174
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Median Debt
$24,590
Earnings (4yr)
$82,201
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,439
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,571
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,211
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,125
Earnings (4yr)
$43,424
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,254
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,582
Natl Median: $62,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$39,900
Earnings (4yr)
$89,792
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,060
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$94,556
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$101,635
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k
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
Median Debt
$63,389
Earnings (4yr)
$58,518
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Median Debt
$58,960
Earnings (4yr)
$116,780
Natl Median: $90,984
Lifetime Value Added
+$360k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$46,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,455
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,181
Natl Median: $67,597
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,152
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$70,853
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,232
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$115,285
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$347k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,629
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$114,635
Natl Median: $70,189
Lifetime Value Added
+$321k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,086
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,050
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,627
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$106,560
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$270k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,692
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: $74,607
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
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$40,935
Earnings (4yr)
$64,167
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$72,439
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)
$108,840
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$290k
Median Debt
$51,250
Earnings (4yr)
$64,255
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
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
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$37,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,916
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Median Debt
$31,130
Earnings (4yr)
$54,537
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,426
Earnings (4yr)
$57,641
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Median Debt
$50,999
Earnings (4yr)
$54,706
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Median Debt
$43,024
Earnings (4yr)
$51,198
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Median Debt
$32,587
Earnings (4yr)
$58,143
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,634
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,444
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,178
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,983
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
DocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,310
Natl Median: $87,373
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,630
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,538
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,547
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$71,500
Earnings (4yr)
$91,229
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Median Debt
$71,872
Earnings (4yr)
$74,579
Natl Median: $81,641
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k

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.