College ROI

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Colorado State University Global

Denver, CO 6,563 Undergrads 46.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$21,201
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,510
After Aid
Median Earnings
$79,486
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,510
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$79,486
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$76,813
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate46.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age32.7
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 Recipients27.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time32.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS85.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
98.4%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -54575th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -1775th: -

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
+$686k
+$219k
+$202k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$627k
+$160k
+$143k
Full Cost$21k/yr
+$610k
+$143k
+$126k

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
28
∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
33
240%
Full Cost$21k/yr
35
165%
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 Return408%

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 Return71%
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
$7,125
Earnings (4yr)
$69,786
Natl Median: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
+$278k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,907
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,682
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$26,491
Earnings (4yr)
$75,415
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Median Debt
$24,495
Earnings (4yr)
$83,415
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
Median Debt
$23,187
Earnings (4yr)
$62,743
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Median Debt
$22,395
Earnings (4yr)
$91,204
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$232k
Median Debt
$25,136
Earnings (4yr)
$61,075
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$519
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,692
Earnings (4yr)
$74,350
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,403
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Median Debt
$29,051
Earnings (4yr)
$52,742
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Median Debt
$23,854
Earnings (4yr)
$95,518
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$265k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$21,214
Earnings (4yr)
$71,199
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,182
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
+$128k
Median Debt
$26,899
Earnings (4yr)
$53,311
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$92,298
Natl Median: $104,114
Lifetime Value Added
+$233k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,564
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$91,674
Natl Median: $88,516
Lifetime Value Added
+$228k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,861
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,265
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$25,199
Earnings (4yr)
$94,130
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Median Debt
$46,548
Earnings (4yr)
$102,672
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$233k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$43,146
Earnings (4yr)
$102,553
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$232k
Median Debt
$47,837
Earnings (4yr)
$80,306
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Median Debt
$37,938
Earnings (4yr)
$61,121
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Median Debt
$42,450
Earnings (4yr)
$102,553
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$232k
Median Debt
$40,909
Earnings (4yr)
$94,688
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Median Debt
$43,430
Earnings (4yr)
$90,296
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,050
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$92,506
Natl Median: $97,121
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Median Debt
$39,204
Earnings (4yr)
$113,193
Natl Median: $106,092
Lifetime Value Added
+$325k
Median Debt
$50,707
Earnings (4yr)
$102,355
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$231k
Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,106
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,520
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,443
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,196
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,110
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
Gr-CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,837
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.