College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN 11,325 Undergrads 55.9% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$22,565
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,609
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,922
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,609
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$56,922
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate55.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients23.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time86.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
91.3%
SAT Avg
1,190
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 222275th: 25

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

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
+$493k
+$96k
+$8k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$426k
+$29k
-$59k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$412k
+$15k
-$73k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
54
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-88%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-90%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year 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-60%

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-63%
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 with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Associate's Degrees

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$11,349
Earnings (5yr)
$46,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$21,505
Earnings (5yr)
$76,233
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$84,367
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$223k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$57,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,300
Earnings (5yr)
$64,547
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,870
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$22,779
Earnings (5yr)
$60,606
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,513
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$20,290
Earnings (5yr)
$94,873
Lifetime Value Added
+$238k
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1512
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Construction Management
BachCIP: 5220
Median Debt
$24,675
Earnings (5yr)
$92,673
Lifetime Value Added
+$222k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$61,661
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
$26,100
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$333k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$21,355
Earnings (5yr)
$62,361
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$23,425
Earnings (5yr)
$27,720
Lifetime Value Added
-$294k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$20,407
Earnings (5yr)
$75,003
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$13,936
Earnings (5yr)
$81,267
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,374
Earnings (5yr)
$44,646
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$22,775
Earnings (5yr)
$49,022
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1901
Median Debt
$22,375
Earnings (5yr)
$45,139
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$21,492
Earnings (5yr)
$79,469
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$26,125
Earnings (5yr)
$42,457
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,276
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$21,722
Earnings (5yr)
$53,139
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$21,241
Earnings (5yr)
$46,610
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (2yr)
$32,569
Lifetime Value Added
-$236k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1506
Median Debt
$27,100
Earnings (5yr)
$80,240
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$72,946
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1508
Median Debt
$25,530
Earnings (5yr)
$69,612
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$23,562
Earnings (5yr)
$91,980
Lifetime Value Added
+$217k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$25,736
Earnings (5yr)
$51,058
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,605
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,276
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
BachCIP: 3103
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$51,659
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$21,840
Earnings (5yr)
$60,581
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,608
Earnings (5yr)
$51,772
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$13,225
Earnings (5yr)
$82,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$18,825
Earnings (5yr)
$64,308
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$19,871
Earnings (5yr)
$51,856
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,625
Earnings (5yr)
$53,226
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$21,805
Earnings (5yr)
$51,346
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,447
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$50,134
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Urban Studies/Affairs
BachCIP: 4512
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,836
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$95,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$368k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$76,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$243k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$61,064
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$34,700
Earnings (2yr)
$55,286
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$20,169
Earnings (5yr)
$61,535
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,900
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,544
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$19,344
Earnings (5yr)
$63,247
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Outdoor Education
MastCIP: 3106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,445
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$126,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$631k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,658
Lifetime Value Added
-$256k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$27,558
Earnings (5yr)
$59,845
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$37,178
Earnings (5yr)
$54,416
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,529
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k

Professional Degrees

Educational Administration and Supervision
ProfCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$32,314
Earnings (5yr)
$96,698
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, 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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.