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Colorado Mesa University
Grand Junction, CO 7,604 Undergrads 41.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$22,883
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,331
After Aid
Median Earnings
$45,823
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$15,331
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$45,823
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate41.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients32.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time84.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS67.1%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
81.4%
SAT Avg
1,070
SAT Reading
25th: 47054575th: 600
SAT Math
25th: 46052975th: 580
ACT Composite
25th: 192375th: 26
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
+$403k
+$7k
-$81k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$348k
-$48k
-$136k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$321k
-$76k
-$163k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-247%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-199%
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-246%
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-108%
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
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,514
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,676
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,311
Lifetime Value Added
+$260k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,075
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
AssocCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$78,611
Lifetime Value Added
+$271k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
AssocCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,541
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,652
Lifetime Value Added
-$248k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$20,170
Earnings (5yr)
$41,794
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
AssocCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,933
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,353
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,223
Lifetime Value Added
+$259k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,704
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,629
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$21,300
Earnings (5yr)
$49,443
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,041
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,748
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$21,302
Earnings (5yr)
$63,935
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$21,061
Earnings (5yr)
$45,866
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$22,080
Earnings (5yr)
$77,812
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Construction Engineering Technologies
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,838
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$34,036
Lifetime Value Added
-$228k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,745
Lifetime Value Added
-$239k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,846
Earnings (5yr)
$40,725
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,252
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,017
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1508
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,845
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,093
Earnings (5yr)
$47,690
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$82,496
Lifetime Value Added
+$157k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$17,162
Lifetime Value Added
-$365k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,644
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,652
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Graduate Certificates
Education, General
Gr-CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,736
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
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.