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Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver, CO 14,932 Undergrads 37.1% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$22,825
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,294
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,093
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$14,294
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$52,093
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate37.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time60.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS72.8%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
99.1%
SAT Avg
1,014
SAT Reading
25th: 45052075th: 570
SAT Math
25th: 43050575th: 540
ACT Composite
25th: 172175th: 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
+$454k
+$58k
-$30k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$403k
+$6k
-$82k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$372k
-$24k
-$112k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-159%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-137%
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 Return-142%
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-83%
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
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$22,087
Earnings (5yr)
$72,474
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
$23,556
Earnings (5yr)
$68,250
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems
BachCIP: 5133
Median Debt
$20,698
Earnings (5yr)
$30,727
Lifetime Value Added
-$253k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$25,783
Earnings (5yr)
$41,447
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Behavioral Sciences
BachCIP: 3017
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,252
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,805
Earnings (5yr)
$56,962
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,975
Earnings (5yr)
$69,862
Lifetime Value Added
+$66k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$22,449
Earnings (5yr)
$62,636
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1502
Median Debt
$28,247
Earnings (5yr)
$74,438
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$15,876
Earnings (5yr)
$48,554
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$111,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$379k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,863
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (5yr)
$64,448
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,879
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$16,989
Earnings (5yr)
$56,582
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$94,588
Lifetime Value Added
+$252k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$24,854
Earnings (5yr)
$44,413
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$20,437
Earnings (5yr)
$83,846
Lifetime Value Added
+$171k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$25,600
Earnings (5yr)
$43,850
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$18,399
Earnings (5yr)
$63,893
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (5yr)
$51,799
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$26,270
Earnings (5yr)
$42,762
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$16,858
Earnings (5yr)
$52,594
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Human Services, General
BachCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$21,084
Earnings (5yr)
$49,323
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$20,638
Earnings (5yr)
$56,304
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
$24,867
Earnings (5yr)
$49,196
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$23,075
Earnings (5yr)
$89,021
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$65,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$24,270
Earnings (5yr)
$71,486
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1508
Median Debt
$27,307
Earnings (5yr)
$89,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$21,889
Earnings (5yr)
$46,218
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$24,948
Earnings (5yr)
$37,991
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$18,630
Earnings (5yr)
$55,583
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Natural Resources Management and Policy
BachCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,712
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$19,800
Earnings (5yr)
$53,328
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
BachCIP: 3101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,362
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$246k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,951
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,356
Earnings (5yr)
$46,755
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$23,096
Earnings (2yr)
$32,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$22,195
Earnings (5yr)
$83,865
Lifetime Value Added
+$171k
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
$20,511
Earnings (5yr)
$45,360
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$17,813
Earnings (5yr)
$56,872
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,917
Earnings (5yr)
$53,547
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$19,406
Earnings (5yr)
$55,444
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,967
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$26,832
Earnings (2yr)
$38,721
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (5yr)
$88,446
Lifetime Value Added
+$314k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,078
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$38,640
Earnings (5yr)
$63,234
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
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.