College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Kettering University

Flint, MI 1,279 Undergrads 74.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$58,610
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$33,092
After Aid
Median Earnings
$94,823
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$33,092
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$94,823
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate74.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients17.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS90.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
79.1%
SAT Avg
1,219
SAT Reading
25th: 52061575th: 640
SAT Math
25th: 54062575th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 262875th: 29

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
+$775k
+$379k
+$291k
Median Cost$33k/yr
+$656k
+$260k
+$172k
Full Cost$59k/yr
+$564k
+$168k
+$80k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
Median Cost$33k/yr
34
144%
Full Cost$59k/yr
44
38%
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 Return163%

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-15%
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

Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,713
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (2yr)
$83,177
Lifetime Value Added
+$137k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$27,500
Earnings (5yr)
$95,355
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (5yr)
$100,365
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$94,052
Lifetime Value Added
+$180k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (5yr)
$102,774
Lifetime Value Added
+$245k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$31,796
Earnings (5yr)
$123,250
Lifetime Value Added
+$577k
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
MastCIP: 5299
Median Debt
$26,568
Earnings (5yr)
$155,625
Lifetime Value Added
+$852k
Engineering Science
MastCIP: 1413
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$105,083
Lifetime Value Added
+$477k

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.