College ROI

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East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, TN 10,004 Undergrads 59.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$27,042
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,983
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,033
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,983
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$53,033
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$44,859
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate59.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.2
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients37.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS66.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
86.2%
SAT Avg
1,144
SAT Reading
25th: 510-75th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 470-75th: 580
ACT Composite
25th: 192375th: 26

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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$479k
+$12k
-$6k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$421k
-$46k
-$63k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$382k
-$85k
-$103k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
Never
-110%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-106%
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-91%

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-75%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$16,250
Earnings (4yr)
$57,642
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Median Debt
$20,903
Earnings (4yr)
$62,853
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$327k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,625
Earnings (4yr)
$57,167
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,719
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,871
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Median Debt
$21,274
Earnings (4yr)
$41,570
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Median Debt
$23,370
Earnings (4yr)
$82,073
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$43,998
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$65,649
Natl Median: $68,061
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (4yr)
$41,449
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$28,062
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$277k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$75,298
Natl Median: $80,526
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,842
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,022
Earnings (4yr)
$43,001
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Median Debt
$17,739
Earnings (4yr)
$58,232
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$34,516
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$41,074
Natl Median: $43,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$60,298
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$44,142
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,051
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Median Debt
$20,875
Earnings (4yr)
$40,288
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$44,738
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,583
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,423
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$35,707
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$210k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$106,593
Natl Median: $116,539
Lifetime Value Added
+$351k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,452
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$16,387
Earnings (4yr)
$42,358
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$22,299
Earnings (4yr)
$52,543
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Median Debt
$19,558
Earnings (4yr)
$74,311
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,263
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,855
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$17,495
Earnings (4yr)
$36,966
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,224
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$21,928
Earnings (4yr)
$47,821
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,687
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$91,471
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
Area Studies
MastCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,936
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$99,765
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
Median Debt
$32,156
Earnings (4yr)
$61,720
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$56,261
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,984
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,276
Natl Median: $62,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$274k
Median Debt
$24,553
Earnings (4yr)
$51,254
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$224k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,523
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
MastCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $111,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,052
Natl Median: $57,050
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$35,553
Earnings (4yr)
$76,210
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Median Debt
$44,053
Earnings (4yr)
$105,444
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$259k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$44,220
Earnings (4yr)
$53,352
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$204k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,245
Earnings (4yr)
$54,693
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Median Debt
$34,650
Earnings (4yr)
$52,231
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,479
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $117,834
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,414
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,117
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,978
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
Gr-CertCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,756
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
Gr-CertCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,684
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,709
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,444
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,178
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,983
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$74,576
Natl Median: $88,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Median Debt
$61,968
Earnings (4yr)
$85,955
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Public Health
DocCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $108,962
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$59,445
Earnings (4yr)
$108,675
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Median Debt
$87,258
Earnings (4yr)
$84,041
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
DocCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,993
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,822
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$194,983
Earnings (4yr)
$110,348
Natl Median: $112,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Median Debt
$237,447
Earnings (4yr)
$129,821
Natl Median: $138,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$257k

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.