College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Colorado State University Pueblo

Pueblo, CO 3,028 Undergrads 42.8% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$23,891
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,948
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,563
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,948
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$55,563
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate42.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time80.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
99.8%
SAT Avg
1,005
SAT Reading
25th: 45052075th: 560
SAT Math
25th: 42051575th: 540
ACT Composite
25th: 192275th: 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
+$482k
+$85k
-$2k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$435k
+$39k
-$49k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$396k
-$492
-$88k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-105%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-103%
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-84%

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-70%
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
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,989
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$242k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$64,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,720
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$61,762
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,632
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,965
Earnings (5yr)
$43,818
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Engineering, Other
BachCIP: 1499
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (5yr)
$97,845
Lifetime Value Added
+$281k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$38,952
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,878
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,771
Earnings (5yr)
$48,566
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$16,450
Earnings (5yr)
$47,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$59,246
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,701
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$248k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,476
Lifetime Value Added
-$262k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,605
Lifetime Value Added
+$37
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$45,923
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,111
Earnings (5yr)
$84,461
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,782
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$18,800
Earnings (5yr)
$52,003
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k

Master's Degrees

Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,367
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,858
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$122,161
Lifetime Value Added
+$605k

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.