College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Duquesne University

Pittsburgh, PA 5,216 Undergrads 79.8% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$63,042
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$34,978
After Aid
Median Earnings
$74,742
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$34,978
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$74,742
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate79.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients18.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS87.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
78.8%
SAT Avg
1,257
SAT Reading
25th: 59062075th: 680
SAT Math
25th: 57060575th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 262775th: 31

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
+$628k
+$231k
+$144k
Median Cost$35k/yr
+$502k
+$106k
+$18k
Full Cost$63k/yr
+$401k
+$5k
-$83k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
30
Median Cost$35k/yr
54
14%
Full Cost$63k/yr
Never
-37%
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 Return23%

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-57%
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
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$74,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$109,037
Lifetime Value Added
+$285k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,885
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,344
Earnings (5yr)
$78,277
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Business/Corporate Communications
BachCIP: 5205
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (2yr)
$36,907
Lifetime Value Added
-$255k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$296k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,333
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$22,557
Earnings (5yr)
$90,589
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
Computer Software and Media Applications
BachCIP: 1108
Median Debt
$26,950
Earnings (5yr)
$60,678
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,461
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$26,830
Earnings (5yr)
$78,484
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,507
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
BachCIP: 5111
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$272k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,592
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,661
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,396
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,409
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,614
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (5yr)
$72,901
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,457
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$24,220
Earnings (5yr)
$72,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$40,539
Lifetime Value Added
-$244k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
BachCIP: 5120
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,435
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$67,704
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,080
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$57,855
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$82,748
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (5yr)
$55,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,793
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,424
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$88,628
Lifetime Value Added
+$277k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$33,500
Earnings (5yr)
$123,946
Lifetime Value Added
+$580k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$40,750
Earnings (5yr)
$99,292
Lifetime Value Added
+$369k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$43,495
Earnings (5yr)
$67,390
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Computer Software and Media Applications
MastCIP: 1108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,206
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,326
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
MastCIP: 1305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,467
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,237
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
MastCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$104,878
Lifetime Value Added
+$417k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$62,652
Earnings (5yr)
$50,872
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,712
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
MastCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Public Policy Analysis
MastCIP: 4405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$65,117
Earnings (5yr)
$113,888
Lifetime Value Added
+$494k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$40,600
Earnings (5yr)
$74,475
Lifetime Value Added
+$156k
Security Science and Technology
MastCIP: 4304
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$67,042
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$65,872
Earnings (5yr)
$51,561
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,271
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k

Doctoral Degrees

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
DocCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$96,778
Earnings (5yr)
$75,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
DocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$126,244
Lifetime Value Added
+$361k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$73,412
Earnings (5yr)
$83,387
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
DocCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$67,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$72,500
Earnings (5yr)
$90,320
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
ProfCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$52,000
Earnings (5yr)
$134,511
Lifetime Value Added
+$420k

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.