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Fort Hays State University
Hays, KS 9,792 Undergrads 58.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$19,114
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,493
After Aid
Median Earnings
$48,928
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$13,493
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$48,928
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate58.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients23.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time46.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.2%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
91.8%
SAT Avg
1,118
SAT Reading
25th: 490-75th: 600
SAT Math
25th: 480-75th: 600
ACT Composite
25th: 19-75th: 25
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
+$429k
+$32k
-$56k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$380k
-$16k
-$104k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$360k
-$37k
-$125k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-215%
Full Cost$19k/yr
Never
-181%
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 Return-213%
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-95%
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
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$20,115
Earnings (5yr)
$60,450
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$22,969
Earnings (5yr)
$46,249
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$54,152
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Agricultural Business and Management
BachCIP: 0101
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,628
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Agriculture, General
BachCIP: 0100
Median Debt
$17,556
Earnings (5yr)
$47,873
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$47,433
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$53,646
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$63,192
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
BachCIP: 5299
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$60,561
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$30,689
Earnings (5yr)
$46,464
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,175
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$23,362
Earnings (5yr)
$48,305
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,869
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,241
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$23,747
Earnings (5yr)
$71,322
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (5yr)
$51,328
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$177
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$27,525
Earnings (5yr)
$60,743
Lifetime Value Added
-$833
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$26,035
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Lifetime Value Added
-$214k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,062
Earnings (5yr)
$45,217
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,842
Earnings (5yr)
$84,609
Lifetime Value Added
+$180k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$27,378
Earnings (5yr)
$47,473
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$24,169
Earnings (5yr)
$46,374
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$19,124
Earnings (5yr)
$53,261
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$24,697
Earnings (5yr)
$80,084
Lifetime Value Added
+$244k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,914
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$19,950
Earnings (5yr)
$55,566
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$22,766
Earnings (5yr)
$77,920
Lifetime Value Added
+$225k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
MastCIP: 1305
Median Debt
$24,840
Earnings (5yr)
$64,758
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
MastCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$24,600
Earnings (5yr)
$68,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$145k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
MastCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$28,476
Earnings (5yr)
$82,849
Lifetime Value Added
+$267k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$115,388
Lifetime Value Added
+$546k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$27,127
Earnings (5yr)
$55,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$32,037
Earnings (5yr)
$56,666
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$12,900
Earnings (5yr)
$54,276
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
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.