College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Indiana University-Northwest

Gary, IN 2,661 Undergrads 39.3% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
Share
Total Cost
$13,989
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,130
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,535
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$5,130
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$59,535
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+37%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$43,361
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate39.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age23.5
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients45.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time76.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS67.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
73.4%
SAT Avg
1,055
SAT Reading
25th: 46053575th: 600
SAT Math
25th: 45050575th: 580
ACT Composite
25th: 182275th: 26

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$532k
+$65k
+$48k
Median Cost$5k/yr
+$513k
+$47k
+$29k
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$482k
+$15k
-$3k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
∞
Median Cost$5k/yr
44
158%
Full Cost$14k/yr
Never
-5%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return102%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-5%
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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$29,320
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,907
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$70,426
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$230k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,970
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$22,026
Earnings (4yr)
$86,888
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$240k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,211
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,863
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$19,802
Earnings (4yr)
$49,084
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,155
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$67,468
Natl Median: $68,061
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$29,768
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$223k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$244k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,525
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,247
Earnings (4yr)
$47,530
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,323
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$21,702
Earnings (4yr)
$53,988
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Median Debt
$22,539
Earnings (4yr)
$82,626
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,575
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,084
Earnings (4yr)
$54,088
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,165
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$35,074
Earnings (4yr)
$118,385
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
+$391k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$36,780
Earnings (4yr)
$69,335
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,430
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,299
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Administration
Gr-CertCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,022
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.