College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Colorado State University Pueblo

Pueblo, CO 3,042 Undergrads 41.4% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$23,937
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,051
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,898
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,051
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$55,898
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate41.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients44.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time81.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
94.9%
SAT Avg
1,120
SAT Reading
25th: -52075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -51575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 192275th: 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
+$502k
+$36k
+$18k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$466k
-$596
-$18k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$416k
-$51k
-$68k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
47
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-50%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-79%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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-43%

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

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,567
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$231k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$58,607
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$60,401
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$65,720
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,532
Natl Median: $76,549
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,965
Earnings (4yr)
$51,721
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Construction Management
BachCIP: 5220
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$91,816
Natl Median: $95,124
Lifetime Value Added
+$260k
Engineering, Other
BachCIP: 1499
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$90,627
Natl Median: $93,989
Lifetime Value Added
+$251k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$44,045
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$35,436
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$16,450
Earnings (4yr)
$50,874
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$63,994
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,508
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,362
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1508
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,940
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,476
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$251k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,605
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$45,974
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,111
Earnings (4yr)
$80,676
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,449
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$18,800
Earnings (4yr)
$48,962
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,771
Earnings (4yr)
$52,746
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k

Master's Degrees

Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$84,995
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,576
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering
MastCIP: 1442
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $140,634
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$126,927
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$456k

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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.