College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus

Indiana, PA 6,764 Undergrads 55.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$26,898
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,804
After Aid
Median Earnings
$57,450
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,804
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$57,450
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$51,019
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate55.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.3
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients38.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
90.8%
SAT Avg
1,082
SAT Reading
25th: 49053075th: 600
SAT Math
25th: 48051075th: 580
ACT Composite
25th: 202175th: 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
+$515k
+$48k
+$31k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$455k
-$12k
-$30k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$418k
-$49k
-$66k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
42
∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
Never
-49%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-68%
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 Return-26%

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-59%
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

Area Studies
CertCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,845
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$39,623
Natl Median: $30,572
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,213
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,065
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
CertCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,696
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
CertCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,845
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,397
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,604
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$71,028
Natl Median: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,673
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Median Debt
$26,125
Earnings (4yr)
$58,931
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,839
Natl Median: $66,874
Lifetime Value Added
-$236k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,909
Earnings (4yr)
$43,582
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Median Debt
$20,709
Earnings (4yr)
$57,936
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$77,097
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,762
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,359
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Median Debt
$26,155
Earnings (4yr)
$35,286
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$75,865
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,537
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Median Debt
$25,447
Earnings (4yr)
$68,794
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Median Debt
$25,141
Earnings (4yr)
$43,017
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,115
Natl Median: $54,945
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,182
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,380
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,164
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,551
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Median Debt
$26,881
Earnings (4yr)
$42,227
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,975
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,266
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$21,582
Earnings (4yr)
$49,625
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Median Debt
$28,913
Earnings (4yr)
$54,958
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,927
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,043
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,213
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,630
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,837
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,458
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,420
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$90,257
Natl Median: $86,525
Lifetime Value Added
+$224k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$82,343
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,130
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,466
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,937
Natl Median: $56,812
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,851
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,494
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,725
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,984
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$39,741
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,060
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Archeology
MastCIP: 4503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,995
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$90,853
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,499
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,976
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Criminology
MastCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$58,603
Natl Median: $67,647
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$426k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,856
Earnings (4yr)
$68,605
Natl Median: $66,523
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,213
Earnings (4yr)
$68,348
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$51,250
Earnings (4yr)
$52,950
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$35,067
Earnings (4yr)
$80,017
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Median Debt
$23,047
Earnings (4yr)
$115,062
Natl Median: $103,349
Lifetime Value Added
+$341k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$72,796
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$29,025
Earnings (4yr)
$51,581
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$223k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,942
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,842
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$60,124
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,509
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,965
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,468
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,147
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,444
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$84,670
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,931
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminology
DocCIP: 4504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,153
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,031
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$110,617
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Median Debt
$57,997
Earnings (4yr)
$72,454
Natl Median: $65,831
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,569
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,406
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.