College ROI

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Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, MN 5,616 Undergrads 58.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$36,268
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$26,556
After Aid
Median Earnings
$70,524
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$26,556
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$70,524
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$66,336
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate58.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)29.6
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 Recipients55.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time52.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
98.7%
SAT Avg
1,020
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 161975th: 21

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
+$611k
+$141k
+$125k
Median Cost$27k/yr
+$516k
+$46k
+$29k
Full Cost$36k/yr
+$481k
+$11k
-$6k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$27k/yr
49
31%
Full Cost$36k/yr
Never
-4%
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 Return83%

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-35%

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

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$90,231
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$471k
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Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,304
Earnings (4yr)
$72,457
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
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Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$14,187
Earnings (4yr)
$63,149
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
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Median Debt
$16,000
Earnings (4yr)
$71,209
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,580
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
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Median Debt
$13,106
Earnings (4yr)
$61,355
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
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Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$85,000
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$151k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,439
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$13,342
Earnings (4yr)
$92,342
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
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Median Debt
$16,251
Earnings (4yr)
$83,558
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
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Median Debt
$21,445
Earnings (4yr)
$64,481
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,027
Natl Median: $68,061
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$291k
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Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$106,889
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$302k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,572
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,801
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
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Median Debt
$18,077
Earnings (4yr)
$74,237
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,299
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
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Median Debt
$13,946
Earnings (4yr)
$51,009
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
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Median Debt
$17,250
Earnings (4yr)
$81,539
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,728
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,352
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
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Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$67,031
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
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Median Debt
$22,609
Earnings (4yr)
$60,780
Natl Median: $52,119
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
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Median Debt
$15,250
Earnings (4yr)
$58,568
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
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Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$14,025
Earnings (4yr)
$55,824
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
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Median Debt
$14,490
Earnings (4yr)
$83,504
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,230
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$210k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,779
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
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Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,486
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
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Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$60,755
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
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Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,025
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,948
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $235,700
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$89,595
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
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Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,849
Natl Median: $67,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$97,987
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
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Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$38,565
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,571
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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$79,007
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$78,876
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
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Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,086
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,517
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,495
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$82,000
Earnings (4yr)
$128,165
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
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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.