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Howard University
Washington, DC 9,604 Undergrads 61.9% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$51,450
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$47,919
After Aid
Median Earnings
$63,066
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$47,919
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$63,066
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate61.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients42.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS67.8%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
34.9%
SAT Avg
1,205
SAT Reading
25th: 56060075th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 54058575th: 638
ACT Composite
25th: 222475th: 28
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
+$541k
+$144k
+$56k
Median Cost$48k/yr
+$368k
-$28k
-$116k
Full Cost$51k/yr
+$355k
-$41k
-$129k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
37
∞
Median Cost$48k/yr
Never
-67%
Full Cost$51k/yr
Never
-70%
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-37%
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-72%
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
Certificates
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$106,421
Lifetime Value Added
+$647k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Lifetime Value Added
+$427k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,996
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$148,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$530k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,971
Lifetime Value Added
-$230k
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$36,934
Lifetime Value Added
-$321k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,298
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$74,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
BachCIP: 5299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,645
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,997
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$67,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,828
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Computer Systems Analysis
BachCIP: 1105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$118,399
Lifetime Value Added
+$308k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,874
Earnings (5yr)
$63,116
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,391
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$80,041
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,946
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$20,197
Earnings (5yr)
$81,259
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,705
Lifetime Value Added
-$331k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,437
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (5yr)
$41,097
Lifetime Value Added
-$286k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,917
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (2yr)
$46,478
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,717
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$86,580
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,549
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$455k
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,896
Lifetime Value Added
-$393k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$24,375
Earnings (5yr)
$59,986
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,437
Earnings (5yr)
$55,395
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,063
Lifetime Value Added
-$269k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$105,029
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$41,423
Lifetime Value Added
-$283k
Master's Degrees
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
MastCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,284
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$76,816
Earnings (5yr)
$126,336
Lifetime Value Added
+$576k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$87,872
Earnings (5yr)
$69,804
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$97,959
Lifetime Value Added
+$385k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,626
Lifetime Value Added
+$279k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$86,750
Earnings (5yr)
$75,889
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,832
Lifetime Value Added
+$118k
Theological and Ministerial Studies
MastCIP: 3906
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,972
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Graduate Certificates
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences
Gr-CertCIP: 5105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$171,957
Lifetime Value Added
+$1138k
Doctoral Degrees
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
DocCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$61,516
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$130,266
Lifetime Value Added
+$343k
Psychology, General
DocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$59,124
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Professional Degrees
Dentistry
ProfCIP: 5104
Median Debt
$316,095
Earnings (5yr)
$142,548
Lifetime Value Added
+$431k
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$185,348
Earnings (5yr)
$105,202
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$247,248
Earnings (5yr)
$158,360
Lifetime Value Added
+$545k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
ProfCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$236,918
Earnings (5yr)
$147,247
Lifetime Value Added
+$465k
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.