College ROI

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Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Minneapolis, MN 705 Undergrads 63.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$59,972
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$29,926
After Aid
Median Earnings
$41,825
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$29,926
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$41,825
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$40,873
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate63.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients41.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS57.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
48.5%
SAT Avg
1,161
SAT Reading
25th: 600-75th: 710
SAT Math
25th: 530-75th: 630
ACT Composite
25th: 21-75th: 29

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
+$384k
-$83k
-$100k
Median Cost$30k/yr
+$277k
-$190k
-$208k
Full Cost$60k/yr
+$168k
-$298k
-$316k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$30k/yr
Never
-193%
Full Cost$60k/yr
Never
-146%
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 Return-171%

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-106%
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
$26,950
Earnings (4yr)
$39,467
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$228k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$31,566
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$302k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$32,667
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$287k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,745
Natl Median: $43,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Woodworking
BachCIP: 4807
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,488
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $104,114
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Design and Applied Arts
PB-CertCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,857
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,081
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,460
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.