College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Kettering University

Flint, MI 1,205 Undergrads 72.4% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
Share
Total Cost
$61,250
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$34,660
After Aid
Median Earnings
$99,943
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$34,660
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$99,943
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$94,823
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate72.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients17.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS90.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
78.7%
SAT Avg
1,251
SAT Reading
25th: 58061575th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 58062575th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 262875th: 30

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
+$842k
+$376k
+$358k
Median Cost$35k/yr
+$718k
+$251k
+$233k
Full Cost$61k/yr
+$622k
+$155k
+$138k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
∞
Median Cost$35k/yr
32
187%
Full Cost$61k/yr
39
62%
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 Return209%

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-2%
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

Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,713
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,713
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (4yr)
$103,868
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$263k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,984
Earnings (4yr)
$120,531
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$390k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$27,500
Earnings (4yr)
$106,638
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$284k
Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (4yr)
$109,977
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$310k
Engineering Physics
BachCIP: 1412
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,154
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,265
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$99,292
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$228k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$31,796
Earnings (4yr)
$136,553
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$494k
Median Debt
$26,568
Earnings (4yr)
$122,490
Natl Median: $96,656
Lifetime Value Added
+$373k
Engineering Science
MastCIP: 1413
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$105,083
Natl Median: $123,681
Lifetime Value Added
+$258k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,651
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.