College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Frostburg State University

Frostburg, MD 2,849 Undergrads 60.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$26,500
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,323
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,493
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,323
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$55,493
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate60.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients38.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time83.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
89.4%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -55575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -53575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2175th: -

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
+$481k
+$85k
-$3k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$426k
+$30k
-$58k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$386k
-$10k
-$98k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-105%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-103%
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-87%

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-74%
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
$22,001
Earnings (5yr)
$72,529
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$62,757
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (2yr)
$36,398
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$54,286
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,259
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,488
Lifetime Value Added
-$270k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$22,934
Earnings (5yr)
$29,461
Lifetime Value Added
-$268k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$250k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$24,533
Earnings (5yr)
$46,364
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
BachCIP: 3103
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$291k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,145
Earnings (5yr)
$53,954
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (5yr)
$100,973
Lifetime Value Added
+$296k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (2yr)
$29,141
Lifetime Value Added
-$255k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,641
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$19,938
Earnings (5yr)
$48,633
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Zoology/Animal Biology
BachCIP: 2607
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (2yr)
$21,234
Lifetime Value Added
-$328k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$103,014
Lifetime Value Added
+$437k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$31,761
Earnings (5yr)
$53,816
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$37,462
Earnings (5yr)
$55,668
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k

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.