College ROI

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Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, CO 15,002 Undergrads 38.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$24,622
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,327
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,186
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,327
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$60,186
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$52,093
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate38.1%
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 Age25.4
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 Recipients36.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time56.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS72.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
98.8%
SAT Avg
1,019
SAT Reading
25th: 45052075th: 570
SAT Math
25th: 43050575th: 560
ACT Composite
25th: 172175th: 26

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$537k
+$70k
+$53k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$482k
+$15k
-$2k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$449k
-$18k
-$36k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
37
∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-4%
Full Cost$25k/yr
Never
-40%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return25%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-43%
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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Marketing
CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$22,087
Earnings (4yr)
$73,698
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
$23,556
Earnings (4yr)
$72,846
Natl Median: $85,825
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,735
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Median Debt
$20,698
Earnings (4yr)
$45,766
Natl Median: $40,222
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$25,783
Earnings (4yr)
$53,125
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,997
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Behavioral Sciences
BachCIP: 3017
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,252
Natl Median: $48,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,065
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,805
Earnings (4yr)
$57,920
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Median Debt
$21,975
Earnings (4yr)
$65,387
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$22,449
Earnings (4yr)
$76,759
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k
Median Debt
$28,247
Earnings (4yr)
$86,131
Natl Median: $76,549
Lifetime Value Added
+$198k
Median Debt
$15,876
Earnings (4yr)
$46,535
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$111,187
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$388k
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,564
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (4yr)
$61,654
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,870
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$16,989
Earnings (4yr)
$80,907
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$100,358
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
+$306k
Median Debt
$24,854
Earnings (4yr)
$51,955
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Median Debt
$17,659
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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)
$64,712
Natl Median: $56,185
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Median Debt
$22,285
Earnings (4yr)
$52,747
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Median Debt
$20,437
Earnings (4yr)
$77,596
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Median Debt
$25,600
Earnings (4yr)
$42,490
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Fire Protection
BachCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,436
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,429
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,399
Earnings (4yr)
$62,250
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$26,270
Earnings (4yr)
$48,518
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Median Debt
$16,858
Earnings (4yr)
$57,312
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Median Debt
$21,084
Earnings (4yr)
$54,896
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$20,638
Earnings (4yr)
$47,460
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,867
Earnings (4yr)
$50,926
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Median Debt
$23,075
Earnings (4yr)
$91,399
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$238k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$64,069
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$24,270
Earnings (4yr)
$65,179
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Median Debt
$27,307
Earnings (4yr)
$98,267
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$290k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,739
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,889
Earnings (4yr)
$59,502
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$24,948
Earnings (4yr)
$38,957
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Median Debt
$18,630
Earnings (4yr)
$63,175
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$19,800
Earnings (4yr)
$60,395
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
-$668
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,810
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$250k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,639
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$1k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,356
Earnings (4yr)
$50,326
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Median Debt
$23,096
Earnings (4yr)
$50,478
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Median Debt
$22,195
Earnings (4yr)
$86,259
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$199k
Median Debt
$20,511
Earnings (4yr)
$48,655
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Median Debt
$17,813
Earnings (4yr)
$58,918
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,917
Earnings (4yr)
$55,915
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$19,406
Earnings (4yr)
$52,414
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,786
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (4yr)
$57,096
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Systems Engineering
BachCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $105,185
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,528
Earnings (4yr)
$49,025
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Median Debt
$26,832
Earnings (4yr)
$47,666
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$86,039
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,768
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Median Debt
$39,098
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$38,640
Earnings (4yr)
$66,816
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k

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.