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Governors State University
University Park, IL 2,518 Undergrads 51.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$23,076
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,477
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,169
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$9,477
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,169
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate51.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients53.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time66.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.4%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -48075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -46575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -1975th: -
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
+$503k
+$106k
+$18k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$468k
+$72k
-$16k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$419k
+$23k
-$65k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
47
∞
Median Cost$9k/yr
Never
-47%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-78%
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-40%
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-59%
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
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$64,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,132
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$17,885
Earnings (5yr)
$57,653
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$17,250
Earnings (5yr)
$52,179
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$53,312
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,049
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (2yr)
$45,696
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,832
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$47,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,258
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,379
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,480
Earnings (5yr)
$51,616
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$17,928
Earnings (5yr)
$47,418
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$107,166
Lifetime Value Added
+$363k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,962
Earnings (5yr)
$47,709
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$19,813
Earnings (5yr)
$43,477
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,903
Lifetime Value Added
+$284k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$49,932
Earnings (5yr)
$97,774
Lifetime Value Added
+$403k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$47,477
Earnings (5yr)
$68,831
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,105
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$42,900
Earnings (5yr)
$60,544
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,334
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$60,839
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,358
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$68,912
Earnings (5yr)
$49,666
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,205
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$41,125
Earnings (5yr)
$109,637
Lifetime Value Added
+$505k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$69,700
Earnings (5yr)
$74,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,209
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,122
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Doctoral Degrees
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,005
Lifetime Value Added
+$196k
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.