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Minnesota State University Moorhead
Moorhead, MN 3,120 Undergrads 60.0% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$24,419
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,816
After Aid
Median Earnings
$50,527
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$17,816
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$50,527
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate60.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients29.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time85.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.9%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
52.6%
SAT Avg
1,090
SAT Reading
25th: -54575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -56575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 192275th: 24
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
+$442k
+$45k
-$43k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$377k
-$19k
-$107k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$354k
-$43k
-$131k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-167%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-149%
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-163%
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-90%
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
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (5yr)
$66,436
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,787
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$62,152
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$16,557
Earnings (5yr)
$60,288
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,103
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$20,029
Earnings (5yr)
$55,292
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$66,325
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Construction Management
BachCIP: 5220
Median Debt
$14,748
Earnings (5yr)
$93,175
Lifetime Value Added
+$228k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$17,792
Earnings (5yr)
$52,769
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$26,100
Earnings (5yr)
$46,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$23,964
Earnings (5yr)
$40,205
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$18,099
Earnings (5yr)
$57,924
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$21,764
Earnings (5yr)
$39,517
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,009
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$49,812
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$259k
Legal Support Services
BachCIP: 2203
Median Debt
$25,155
Earnings (5yr)
$46,591
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
BachCIP: 3000
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$266k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$24,593
Earnings (2yr)
$31,133
Lifetime Value Added
-$246k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,096
Earnings (2yr)
$30,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$247k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,576
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$19,042
Earnings (5yr)
$54,974
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$88,205
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$19,909
Earnings (5yr)
$52,122
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,526
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,153
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$25,165
Earnings (5yr)
$45,886
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$50,414
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,402
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$40,116
Earnings (5yr)
$55,628
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (5yr)
$60,291
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$19,972
Earnings (5yr)
$66,545
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$19,684
Earnings (2yr)
$48,265
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$42,260
Earnings (5yr)
$55,951
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Professional Degrees
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
ProfCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
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.