College ROI

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Marquette University

Milwaukee, WI 7,660 Undergrads 81.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$66,768
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$31,487
After Aid
Median Earnings
$80,228
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$31,487
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$80,228
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$78,257
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate81.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS87.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
81.3%
SAT Avg
1,310
SAT Reading
25th: 61063575th: 680
SAT Math
25th: 59063575th: 680
ACT Composite
25th: 262875th: 31

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
+$692k
+$225k
+$208k
Median Cost$31k/yr
+$579k
+$112k
+$94k
Full Cost$67k/yr
+$452k
-$15k
-$33k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$31k/yr
39
83%
Full Cost$67k/yr
Never
-14%
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 Return66%

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-44%
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
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$99,086
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$238k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$82,520
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,524
Earnings (4yr)
$88,921
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,713
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,975
Earnings (4yr)
$95,728
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,670
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$71,711
Natl Median: $65,784
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,897
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (4yr)
$88,144
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,092
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Cognitive Science
BachCIP: 3025
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,496
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,482
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,501
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,530
Natl Median: $55,384
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Median Debt
$21,762
Earnings (4yr)
$98,108
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$231k
Median Debt
$24,767
Earnings (4yr)
$97,608
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$73,949
Natl Median: $97,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,083
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,824
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$390k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$22,437
Earnings (4yr)
$82,722
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,947
Earnings (4yr)
$106,686
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$296k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,211
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,171
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,643
Earnings (4yr)
$97,719
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$228k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,369
Earnings (4yr)
$59,529
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,691
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$102,306
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$263k
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$66,180
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$25,155
Earnings (4yr)
$63,322
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$82,233
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$76,620
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$93,764
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$198k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,475
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,114
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,208
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$78,125
Natl Median: $62,172
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$74,008
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,187
Earnings (4yr)
$60,338
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Median Debt
$24,286
Earnings (4yr)
$64,978
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,298
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Real Estate
BachCIP: 5215
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$99,583
Natl Median: $84,821
Lifetime Value Added
+$242k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$88,069
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,473
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,795
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$51,997
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$24,968
Earnings (4yr)
$57,131
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$56,955
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Median Debt
$25,125
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,535
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$62,409
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$194,665
Natl Median: $235,700
Lifetime Value Added
+$1068k
Median Debt
$125,865
Earnings (4yr)
$124,971
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$400k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,121
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$38,819
Earnings (4yr)
$140,858
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$537k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,959
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Median Debt
$41,428
Earnings (4yr)
$69,306
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$130,564
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$448k
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$106,753
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
+$241k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$64,699
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
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)
-
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,627
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,309
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$112,901
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$295k
Median Debt
$57,690
Earnings (4yr)
$63,310
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Philosophy
MastCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,439
Natl Median: $70,515
Lifetime Value Added
-$241k
Median Debt
$61,329
Earnings (4yr)
$100,891
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $207,164
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,413
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$72,661
Earnings (4yr)
$117,288
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$456k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
Gr-CertCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,721
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,983
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,848
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
DocCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$119,078
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $157,305
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,831
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,070
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,341
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
DocCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,449
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$109,747
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$84,737
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,388
Natl Median: $67,164
Lifetime Value Added
-$228k

Professional Degrees

Dentistry
ProfCIP: 5104
Median Debt
$229,890
Earnings (4yr)
$183,642
Natl Median: $170,812
Lifetime Value Added
+$596k
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$137,200
Earnings (4yr)
$85,116
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k

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.