College ROI

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Howard University

Washington, DC 10,108 Undergrads 68.6% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$58,032
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$33,002
After Aid
Median Earnings
$72,990
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$33,002
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$72,990
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$69,682
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate68.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)20.3
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients44.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS69.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
41.3%
SAT Avg
1,213
SAT Reading
25th: 56062075th: 670
SAT Math
25th: 53059075th: 650
ACT Composite
25th: 222575th: 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
+$630k
+$160k
+$143k
Median Cost$33k/yr
+$511k
+$41k
+$25k
Full Cost$58k/yr
+$421k
-$49k
-$65k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
30
∞
Median Cost$33k/yr
52
21%
Full Cost$58k/yr
Never
-31%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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 Return31%

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-55%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Natl Median: $34,535
Lifetime Value Added
+$444k
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Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$23,509
Earnings (4yr)
$98,645
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$231k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$91,744
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
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Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$25,700
Earnings (2yr)
$44,971
Natl Median: $66,914
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
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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
$24,750
Earnings (4yr)
$44,345
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
-$198k
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Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$60,923
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
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Median Debt
$23,975
Earnings (4yr)
$88,875
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$157k
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Median Debt
$23,650
Earnings (5yr)
$58,068
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
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Median Debt
$21,726
Earnings (5yr)
$75,980
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$60,209
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
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Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$67,660
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
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Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,909
Natl Median: $55,384
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$55,902
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
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Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,972
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$80,041
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
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Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$73,929
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,873
Earnings (4yr)
$80,094
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
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Median Debt
$22,350
Earnings (4yr)
$54,696
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
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Median Debt
$25,775
Earnings (4yr)
$68,877
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
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Median Debt
$23,075
Earnings (4yr)
$60,047
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
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History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,237
Earnings (5yr)
$72,556
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
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Median Debt
$23,889
Earnings (4yr)
$100,344
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$244k
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Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$103,478
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$268k
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Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$77,820
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,875
Earnings (5yr)
$112,021
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$317k
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Median Debt
$19,800
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$25,875
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$402k
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Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$25,747
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology, Other
BachCIP: 3199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,662
Natl Median: $42,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
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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
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,733
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$59,069
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
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Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$67,881
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$402k
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Median Debt
$24,750
Earnings (4yr)
$94,136
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$275k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$61,316
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
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Median Debt
$25,225
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
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
$97,694
Earnings (4yr)
$135,741
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$491k
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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
-
Earnings (4yr)
$80,980
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
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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
+$197k
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Median Debt
$165,737
Earnings (2yr)
$76,460
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
+$1k
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Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$88,816
Earnings (4yr)
$75,734
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,524
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$224k
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Median Debt
$83,932
Earnings (5yr)
$81,944
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
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Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$139,816
Natl Median: $207,164
Lifetime Value Added
+$720k
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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
-$83k
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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)
$143,283
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$274k
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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
$284,045
Earnings (2yr)
$59,124
Natl Median: $98,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$313k
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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
$302,911
Earnings (4yr)
$164,425
Natl Median: $170,812
Lifetime Value Added
+$449k
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Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$191,298
Earnings (4yr)
$116,413
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
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Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$208,644
Earnings (4yr)
$111,199
Natl Median: $112,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
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Median Debt
$233,127
Earnings (4yr)
$141,811
Natl Median: $138,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$284k
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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.