College ROI

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Howard University

Washington, DC 10,108 Undergrads 64.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$54,630
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$50,539
After Aid
Median Earnings
$72,974
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$50,539
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$72,974
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$63,066
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate64.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.3
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients42.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS67.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
41.3%
SAT Avg
1,213
SAT Reading
25th: 56060075th: 670
SAT Math
25th: 53058575th: 650
ACT Composite
25th: 222475th: 28

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

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
+$637k
+$170k
+$152k
Median Cost$51k/yr
+$455k
-$12k
-$30k
Full Cost$55k/yr
+$440k
-$27k
-$44k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$51k/yr
Never
-16%
Full Cost$55k/yr
Never
-23%
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 Return50%

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-48%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Natl Median: $33,993
Lifetime Value Added
+$425k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$98,645
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$166k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$148,440
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$521k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,971
Natl Median: $66,914
Lifetime Value Added
-$240k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,345
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
-$260k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,923
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$88,875
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,645
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,997
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$67,660
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,909
Natl Median: $55,384
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$118,399
Natl Median: $78,929
Lifetime Value Added
+$299k
Median Debt
$25,874
Earnings (4yr)
$55,902
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,972
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$80,041
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,929
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,197
Earnings (4yr)
$80,094
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,696
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,877
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,047
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,917
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$100,344
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$179k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,717
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$103,478
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$203k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$77,820
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$464k
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology, Other
BachCIP: 3199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,896
Natl Median: $42,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$402k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,375
Earnings (4yr)
$65,733
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,437
Earnings (4yr)
$59,069
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (4yr)
$67,881
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,063
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$279k
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$94,136
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$41,423
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$292k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$61,316
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,658
Natl Median: $162,386
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
MastCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,936
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,482
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,271
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$76,816
Earnings (4yr)
$135,741
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$458k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,837
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$87,872
Earnings (4yr)
$80,980
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,486
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Law
MastCIP: 2201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,341
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Nutrition Sciences
MastCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,126
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$97,959
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,626
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$86,750
Earnings (4yr)
$75,734
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,832
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,972
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$171,957
Natl Median: $207,164
Lifetime Value Added
+$919k

Doctoral Degrees

Area Studies
DocCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,249
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $102,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,683
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,983
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$92,090
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,931
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
DocCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $135,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$130,266
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,831
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
DocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,070
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,435
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Nutrition Sciences
DocCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,750
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $136,696
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,640
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,908
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$59,124
Natl Median: $98,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$375k
Social Work
DocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
DocCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,618
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Dentistry
ProfCIP: 5104
Median Debt
$316,095
Earnings (4yr)
$164,425
Natl Median: $170,812
Lifetime Value Added
+$387k
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$185,348
Earnings (4yr)
$116,413
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$247,248
Earnings (4yr)
$111,199
Natl Median: $112,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Median Debt
$236,918
Earnings (4yr)
$141,811
Natl Median: $138,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$221k

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. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. 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.