College ROI

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Eastern Washington University

Cheney, WA 6,222 Undergrads 58.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$24,478
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,886
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,781
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,886
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$60,781
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$57,897
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate58.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.9
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients38.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
90.8%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$542k
+$75k
+$58k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$492k
+$25k
+$8k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$454k
-$13k
-$31k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
37
∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
57
15%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-35%
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 Return36%

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-40%
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

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,085
Natl Median: $43,761
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,134
Natl Median: $58,705
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
History
CertCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
CertCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,115
Natl Median: $43,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,689
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$16,200
Earnings (4yr)
$75,927
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$17,817
Earnings (4yr)
$56,083
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Median Debt
$19,003
Earnings (4yr)
$65,503
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,089
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $66,874
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
Median Debt
$20,519
Earnings (4yr)
$50,969
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,245
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$95,817
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$277k
Median Debt
$20,296
Earnings (4yr)
$46,104
Natl Median: $58,894
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,621
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Median Debt
$23,604
Earnings (4yr)
$75,533
Natl Median: $68,061
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$18,756
Earnings (4yr)
$60,954
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Median Debt
$25,116
Earnings (4yr)
$85,599
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$199k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,526
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other
BachCIP: 1599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$84,265
Natl Median: $81,678
Lifetime Value Added
+$188k
Median Debt
$15,835
Earnings (4yr)
$41,541
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,404
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Median Debt
$15,298
Earnings (4yr)
$66,710
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Median Debt
$17,361
Earnings (5yr)
$30,879
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$250k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,402
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,244
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$50,286
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Median Debt
$17,889
Earnings (4yr)
$49,391
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,238
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$333k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,802
Earnings (4yr)
$67,534
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$64,677
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,693
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (4yr)
$85,495
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$198k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,102
Natl Median: $52,119
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Median Debt
$19,534
Earnings (4yr)
$56,507
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$316k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,106
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Median Debt
$20,134
Earnings (4yr)
$51,206
Natl Median: $50,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
$20,507
Earnings (4yr)
$60,556
Natl Median: $62,172
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Median Debt
$15,513
Earnings (4yr)
$53,502
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$50,125
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,715
Earnings (4yr)
$58,786
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Median Debt
$19,134
Earnings (4yr)
$54,974
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,768
Earnings (5yr)
$40,661
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$15,768
Earnings (4yr)
$60,696
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,992
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,244
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Median Debt
$18,994
Earnings (4yr)
$55,671
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Median Debt
$20,344
Earnings (4yr)
$57,915
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,259
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
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)
$87,458
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,665
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$54,184
Earnings (4yr)
$75,656
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
+$1k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,466
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,062
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$29,660
Earnings (4yr)
$65,234
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
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)
-
Natl Median: $67,520
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,973
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,517
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Median Debt
$55,865
Earnings (4yr)
$75,152
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,225
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,286
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$40,783
Earnings (4yr)
$68,191
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,168
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,959
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,117
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,441
Natl Median: $60,655
Lifetime Value Added
-$608
Public Health
Gr-CertCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,684
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
Gr-CertCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,362
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,444
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$80,406
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k

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.