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Metropolitan State University
Saint Paul, MN 4,998 Undergrads 56.7% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$26,057
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,181
After Aid
Median Earnings
$64,705
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$19,181
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$64,705
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate56.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients47.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time50.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.2%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
96.5%
SAT Avg
1,020
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 16-75th: 23
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
+$553k
+$157k
+$69k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$484k
+$88k
-$199
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$459k
+$63k
-$25k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
35
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-0%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-27%
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 Return49%
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-38%
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
Certificates
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,577
Lifetime Value Added
+$356k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$18,976
Earnings (5yr)
$67,821
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$15,286
Earnings (5yr)
$64,316
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$69,606
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,364
Earnings (5yr)
$60,038
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$19,287
Earnings (5yr)
$99,864
Lifetime Value Added
+$274k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
BachCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$22,786
Earnings (5yr)
$81,130
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$16,146
Earnings (5yr)
$60,410
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,432
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (5yr)
$40,744
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$62,374
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$22,789
Earnings (5yr)
$64,963
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Human Services, General
BachCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$16,547
Earnings (5yr)
$51,794
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$17,640
Earnings (5yr)
$82,008
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,728
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$16,499
Earnings (5yr)
$70,018
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$93,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$16,625
Earnings (5yr)
$61,040
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$21,335
Earnings (5yr)
$58,761
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$61,930
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (5yr)
$49,480
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$12,541
Earnings (5yr)
$92,966
Lifetime Value Added
+$222k
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$13,095
Earnings (5yr)
$50,935
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
$16,125
Earnings (5yr)
$50,858
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$17,698
Earnings (5yr)
$57,301
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,778
Earnings (5yr)
$47,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$19,922
Earnings (5yr)
$68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$38,159
Earnings (5yr)
$83,445
Lifetime Value Added
+$262k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$50,693
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
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.