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Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver, CO 15,002 Undergrads 39.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$24,176
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,803
After Aid
Median Earnings
$62,021
5yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$13,803
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$62,021Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$57,612Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate39.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average starting age (2015-17)25.4
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time56.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.7%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
98.8%
SAT Avg
1,019
SAT Reading
25th: 45051075th: 570
SAT Math
25th: 43050075th: 560
ACT Composite
25th: 172275th: 26
ROI Sensitivity AnalysisAssuming 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
+$545k
+$75k
+$59k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$495k
+$25k
+$9k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$458k
-$12k
-$28k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
36
∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
56
18%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-33%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
- 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 Return38%
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-41%
Program ROI Analysis
These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →
Certificates
Marketing
CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$21,654
Earnings (4yr)
$73,698
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
$21,022
Earnings (4yr)
$72,846
Natl Median: $85,825
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,735
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,766
Natl Median: $40,222
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,125
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
BachCIP: 4004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,997
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Behavioral Sciences
BachCIP: 3017
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,041
Natl Median: $48,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,065
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$57,920
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$65,387
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,759
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,131
Natl Median: $76,549
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,535
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$111,187
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$396k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$18,214
Earnings (4yr)
$56,564
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$15,939
Earnings (4yr)
$61,654
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$42,870
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$80,907
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$100,358
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
+$314k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$26,693
Earnings (4yr)
$51,955
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
BachCIP: 5207
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
BachCIP: 1414
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,171
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
BachCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,927
Natl Median: $56,185
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,747
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$77,596
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$42,490
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Fire Protection
BachCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,436
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,429
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$21,133
Earnings (4yr)
$62,250
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,518
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$14,473
Earnings (4yr)
$57,312
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Human Services, General
BachCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$18,458
Earnings (4yr)
$54,896
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,460
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,667
Earnings (4yr)
$50,926
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$20,676
Earnings (4yr)
$91,399
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$245k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,069
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$23,867
Earnings (4yr)
$65,179
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Median Debt
$23,407
Earnings (4yr)
$98,267
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$298k
Medical Illustration and Informatics
BachCIP: 5127
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,739
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$24,910
Earnings (4yr)
$59,502
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$23,721
Earnings (4yr)
$38,957
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$22,895
Earnings (4yr)
$63,175
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$14,628
Earnings (4yr)
$60,395
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies
BachCIP: 3101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,810
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$245k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$17,875
Earnings (4yr)
$60,639
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,326
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,478
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Median Debt
$23,583
Earnings (4yr)
$86,259
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$206k
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,655
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$18,120
Earnings (4yr)
$58,918
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,090
Earnings (4yr)
$55,915
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,414
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,786
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,096
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Systems Engineering
BachCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $105,185
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,827
Earnings (4yr)
$49,025
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Median Debt
$24,787
Earnings (4yr)
$47,666
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,039
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$35,074
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$31,125
Earnings (4yr)
$57,768
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$33,047
Earnings (4yr)
$66,816
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
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.