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Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Fort Collins, CO 25,148 Undergrads 70.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$29,696
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$20,332
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,543
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$20,332
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$60,543
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate70.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients20.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.0%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
89.6%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -60075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -58575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2675th: -
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
+$521k
+$125k
+$37k
Median Cost$20k/yr
+$448k
+$52k
-$36k
Full Cost$30k/yr
+$414k
+$18k
-$70k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
41
∞
Median Cost$20k/yr
Never
-50%
Full Cost$30k/yr
Never
-66%
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-23%
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-60%
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
Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services
BachCIP: 0105
Median Debt
$21,968
Earnings (5yr)
$47,210
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Agricultural Business and Management
BachCIP: 0101
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,394
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,056
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,109
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Apparel and Textiles
BachCIP: 1909
Median Debt
$19,563
Earnings (5yr)
$55,279
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services
BachCIP: 0106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,189
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,741
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,902
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$98,033
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$78,287
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,109
Lifetime Value Added
+$137k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$20,549
Earnings (5yr)
$97,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$250k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (5yr)
$80,180
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$85,902
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,306
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$21,569
Earnings (5yr)
$121,497
Lifetime Value Added
+$431k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$112,299
Lifetime Value Added
+$362k
Construction Engineering Technologies
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$100,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$274k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,672
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$320k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
BachCIP: 2613
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,979
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$69,679
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$25,176
Earnings (5yr)
$107,989
Lifetime Value Added
+$330k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$47,320
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
BachCIP: 1414
Median Debt
$26,747
Earnings (5yr)
$77,901
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,669
Lifetime Value Added
-$286k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,752
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,547
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Fire Protection
BachCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$98,338
Lifetime Value Added
+$258k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1905
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,759
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Forestry
BachCIP: 0305
Median Debt
$22,073
Earnings (5yr)
$53,875
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$75,612
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,064
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,465
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$53,160
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$20,425
Earnings (5yr)
$48,432
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$23,869
Earnings (5yr)
$100,588
Lifetime Value Added
+$275k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$19,296
Earnings (5yr)
$52,921
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Landscape Architecture
BachCIP: 0406
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,377
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$22,996
Earnings (5yr)
$49,230
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
$15,479
Earnings (5yr)
$60,473
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$15,679
Earnings (5yr)
$74,186
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$25,708
Earnings (5yr)
$89,087
Lifetime Value Added
+$189k
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
BachCIP: 2605
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$64,977
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,837
Earnings (5yr)
$53,174
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,025
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Natural Resources Management and Policy
BachCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,688
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
BachCIP: 3103
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (5yr)
$52,324
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (2yr)
$28,236
Lifetime Value Added
-$281k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$268k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Lifetime Value Added
-$343k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$61,493
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,931
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$18,950
Earnings (5yr)
$51,722
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$19,746
Earnings (5yr)
$56,681
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Soil Sciences
BachCIP: 0112
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,788
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,274
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k
Zoology/Animal Biology
BachCIP: 2607
Median Debt
$23,875
Earnings (5yr)
$49,193
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$93,882
Lifetime Value Added
+$349k
Agriculture, General
MastCIP: 0100
Median Debt
$25,108
Earnings (5yr)
$63,434
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$317k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$42,118
Earnings (5yr)
$123,668
Lifetime Value Added
+$604k
Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$131,234
Lifetime Value Added
+$669k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$99,679
Lifetime Value Added
+$399k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,088
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
MastCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$94,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$404k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
MastCIP: 2613
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,356
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$27,586
Earnings (5yr)
$59,756
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Engineering, General
MastCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$76,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$240k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,403
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
MastCIP: 1905
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,432
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Information Science/Studies
MastCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$20,962
Earnings (5yr)
$115,721
Lifetime Value Added
+$537k
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
MastCIP: 2605
Median Debt
$30,022
Earnings (5yr)
$74,401
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$40,506
Earnings (5yr)
$51,593
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
MastCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$22,600
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Natural Resources Management and Policy
MastCIP: 0302
Median Debt
$30,240
Earnings (5yr)
$56,859
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$76,334
Earnings (5yr)
$65,945
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$40,400
Earnings (5yr)
$61,593
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Zoology/Animal Biology
MastCIP: 2607
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,827
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Doctoral Degrees
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$108,051
Lifetime Value Added
+$282k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
DocCIP: 2613
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$59,124
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$48,453
Earnings (5yr)
$97,611
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
Psychology, General
DocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$74,576
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Professional Degrees
Veterinary Medicine
ProfCIP: 0180
Median Debt
$185,720
Earnings (5yr)
$114,498
Lifetime Value Added
+$328k
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.