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Illinois State University
Normal, IL 18,414 Undergrads 71.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$32,458
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,996
After Aid
Median Earnings
$62,117
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$18,996
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$62,117
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate71.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients30.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.9%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
89.0%
SAT Avg
1,127
SAT Reading
25th: 51056075th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 50054075th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: 222475th: 27
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
+$533k
+$137k
+$49k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$465k
+$69k
-$19k
Full Cost$32k/yr
+$417k
+$20k
-$68k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-28%
Full Cost$32k/yr
Never
-58%
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-11%
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-58%
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
$20,299
Earnings (5yr)
$81,805
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Agriculture, General
BachCIP: 0100
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (5yr)
$64,041
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,896
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$51,516
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,989
Earnings (5yr)
$53,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,456
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
BachCIP: 2604
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (2yr)
$26,896
Lifetime Value Added
-$289k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
$23,927
Earnings (5yr)
$65,434
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,299
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$84,395
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$22,043
Earnings (5yr)
$99,457
Lifetime Value Added
+$271k
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
BachCIP: 1109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$84,405
Lifetime Value Added
+$159k
Construction Management
BachCIP: 5220
Median Debt
$19,757
Earnings (5yr)
$94,268
Lifetime Value Added
+$232k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$39,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,687
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1517
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,771
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (5yr)
$48,567
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1901
Median Debt
$19,653
Earnings (5yr)
$52,374
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (5yr)
$86,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (5yr)
$45,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Graphic Communications
BachCIP: 1003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,462
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$20,084
Earnings (5yr)
$67,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$19,700
Earnings (5yr)
$66,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,171
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1506
Median Debt
$16,000
Earnings (5yr)
$79,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Insurance
BachCIP: 5217
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$85,527
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
$19,119
Earnings (5yr)
$78,951
Lifetime Value Added
+$118k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (5yr)
$48,505
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$20,331
Earnings (5yr)
$44,962
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (5yr)
$95,306
Lifetime Value Added
+$240k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$74,155
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,472
Earnings (5yr)
$76,346
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (5yr)
$65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,586
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
BachCIP: 3103
Median Debt
$19,236
Earnings (5yr)
$47,002
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,313
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,232
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$20,009
Earnings (5yr)
$83,534
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,349
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$83,441
Lifetime Value Added
+$151k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (5yr)
$47,097
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$24,890
Earnings (5yr)
$50,809
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$20,772
Earnings (5yr)
$54,799
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,275
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$20,833
Earnings (5yr)
$49,945
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$20,875
Earnings (5yr)
$55,738
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Visual and Performing Arts, Other
BachCIP: 5099
Median Debt
$21,875
Earnings (5yr)
$44,262
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$16,818
Earnings (5yr)
$95,606
Lifetime Value Added
+$367k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$23,515
Earnings (5yr)
$99,585
Lifetime Value Added
+$401k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$19,775
Earnings (5yr)
$65,027
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,546
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,475
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
MastCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,236
Lifetime Value Added
-$229k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
MastCIP: 1901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,432
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,661
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$31,482
Earnings (5yr)
$39,650
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (5yr)
$120,079
Lifetime Value Added
+$576k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$31,382
Earnings (5yr)
$65,003
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,696
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
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.