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Fitchburg State University
Fitchburg, MA 2,752 Undergrads 58.1% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$25,555
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,262
After Aid
Median Earnings
$63,994
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$14,262
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$63,994
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate58.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients35.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time81.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.0%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
86.9%
SAT Avg
1,150
SAT Reading
25th: 54054075th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 52054075th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: -2275th: -
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
+$567k
+$101k
+$83k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$516k
+$49k
+$32k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$475k
+$9k
-$9k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
46
62%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-10%
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 Return80%
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-29%
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
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,984
Earnings (4yr)
$65,991
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$64,528
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$23,080
Earnings (4yr)
$46,129
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$75,879
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$23,685
Earnings (4yr)
$62,396
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$42,946
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$25,107
Earnings (4yr)
$51,141
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$198k
Human Services, General
BachCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,945
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1506
Median Debt
$25,020
Earnings (4yr)
$66,707
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Leisure and Recreational Activities
BachCIP: 3601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,813
Natl Median: $41,200
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
BachCIP: 3000
Median Debt
$22,976
Earnings (4yr)
$50,089
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,046
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$26,810
Earnings (4yr)
$92,187
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$248k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,087
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,768
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$22,785
Earnings (4yr)
$46,696
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Master's Degrees
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
MastCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Behavioral Sciences
MastCIP: 3017
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,111
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$18,703
Earnings (4yr)
$90,969
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$17,119
Earnings (4yr)
$72,362
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$89,717
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
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
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$27,215
Earnings (4yr)
$60,251
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$21,659
Earnings (4yr)
$64,927
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,409
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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. 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.