College ROI

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Milwaukee School of Engineering

Milwaukee, WI 2,654 Undergrads 68.8% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$62,648
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,453
After Aid
Median Earnings
$90,607
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,453
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$90,607
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$89,070
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate68.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.2
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients23.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS91.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
58.9%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -61375th: -
SAT Math
25th: -67075th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2775th: -

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
+$771k
+$304k
+$287k
Median Cost$22k/yr
+$690k
+$224k
+$206k
Full Cost$63k/yr
+$546k
+$79k
+$61k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
Median Cost$22k/yr
31
255%
Full Cost$63k/yr
47
27%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return143%

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-21%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$88,756
Natl Median: $89,406
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$93,229
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,550
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,935
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$92,809
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$223k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$103,360
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$303k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$95,147
Natl Median: $95,124
Lifetime Value Added
+$241k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$93,201
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,526
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$87,279
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$84,381
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$97,637
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$245k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$85,791
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$169k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$82,822
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,356
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$113,253
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$315k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$94,025
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,629
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,441
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.