College ROI

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Illinois State University

Normal, IL 19,057 Undergrads 71.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$34,309
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,398
After Aid
Median Earnings
$62,507
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,398
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$62,507
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$62,117
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate71.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients31.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
88.1%
SAT Avg
1,113
SAT Reading
25th: 50056075th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 49054075th: 590
ACT Composite
25th: 212475th: 27

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
+$556k
+$89k
+$71k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$486k
+$19k
+$2k
Full Cost$34k/yr
+$432k
-$35k
-$52k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
35
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
63
2%
Full Cost$34k/yr
Never
-42%
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 Return17%

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-52%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,299
Earnings (4yr)
$84,458
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (4yr)
$63,600
Natl Median: $53,676
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,417
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$50,177
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Median Debt
$19,375
Earnings (4yr)
$62,339
Natl Median: $57,640
Lifetime Value Added
+$181
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,989
Earnings (4yr)
$63,725
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,660
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,669
Natl Median: $66,697
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$22,588
Earnings (4yr)
$62,220
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$758
Median Debt
$23,927
Earnings (4yr)
$73,220
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$60,414
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$62,510
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$98,382
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$276k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$22,043
Earnings (4yr)
$111,099
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$373k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$90,953
Natl Median: $73,587
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
Median Debt
$19,757
Earnings (4yr)
$91,017
Natl Median: $95,124
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,506
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Median Debt
$24,375
Earnings (4yr)
$61,628
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$54,604
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$40,258
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,687
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,731
Natl Median: $85,557
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$80,530
Natl Median: $80,526
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$47,445
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Median Debt
$19,653
Earnings (4yr)
$51,806
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (4yr)
$85,326
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$51,386
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (4yr)
$69,383
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,272
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,723
Natl Median: $43,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Median Debt
$20,084
Earnings (4yr)
$71,707
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,757
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,748
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Median Debt
$16,000
Earnings (4yr)
$76,121
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
Insurance
BachCIP: 5217
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$94,124
Natl Median: $88,472
Lifetime Value Added
+$244k
Median Debt
$19,119
Earnings (4yr)
$71,058
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$55,641
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,943
Natl Median: $53,266
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Median Debt
$20,331
Earnings (4yr)
$50,744
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (4yr)
$95,120
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$252k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$70,671
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,472
Earnings (4yr)
$77,956
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (4yr)
$75,318
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,767
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Median Debt
$19,236
Earnings (4yr)
$55,032
Natl Median: $50,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$81,949
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$151k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$59,571
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,941
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$20,009
Earnings (4yr)
$84,790
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$67,752
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$81,264
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (4yr)
$45,994
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$24,890
Earnings (4yr)
$55,089
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$20,772
Earnings (4yr)
$51,000
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,864
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$19,700
Earnings (4yr)
$62,112
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Median Debt
$20,833
Earnings (4yr)
$49,240
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Median Debt
$20,875
Earnings (4yr)
$54,452
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Median Debt
$21,875
Earnings (4yr)
$49,774
Natl Median: $47,629
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,516
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$16,818
Earnings (4yr)
$96,945
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,941
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,276
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,515
Earnings (4yr)
$110,971
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$300k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,775
Earnings (4yr)
$62,006
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,353
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,775
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,236
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$446k
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: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,995
Natl Median: $60,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,054
Natl Median: $89,051
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$31,482
Earnings (4yr)
$46,476
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$277k
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
$29,000
Earnings (4yr)
$117,757
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$360k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$31,382
Earnings (4yr)
$55,801
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,105
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,323
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,679
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$246k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,532
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,983
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,031
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,831
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,739
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,168
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.