Minnesota State University Moorhead

Moorhead, MN 3,072 Undergrads 59.1% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$25,197

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$17,997

After Aid

Median Earnings

$55,083

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$17,997

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (10yr)$55,083

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate59.1%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients29.9%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time84.6%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS77.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

58.8%

SAT Avg

1,090

SAT Reading

25th: -54575th: -

SAT Math

25th: -56575th: -

ACT Composite

25th: 182275th: 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

+$489k

+$29k

+$12k

Median Cost$18k/yr

+$424k

-$36k

-$53k

Full Cost$25k/yr

+$398k

-$62k

-$79k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$18k/yr

Never

-82%

Full Cost$25k/yr

Never

-87%

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-59%

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-67%

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

Certificates

Business Administration, Management and Operations

CertCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$15,000

Earnings (4yr)

$59,179

Nat: $47,440

Lifetime Value Added

+$161k

Design and Applied Arts

CertCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $36,116

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Finance and Financial Management Services

CertCIP: 5208

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$72,369

Nat: $53,418

Lifetime Value Added

+$291k

Fine and Studio Arts

CertCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $36,104

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Geography and Cartography

CertCIP: 4507

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $58,705

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health and Medical Administrative Services

CertCIP: 5107

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $35,447

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Resources Management and Services

CertCIP: 5210

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $61,907

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

CertCIP: 5213

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $84,309

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

CertCIP: 2313

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $55,975

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

CertCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $44,570

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

BachCIP: 5203

Median Debt

$17,750

Earnings (4yr)

$65,476

Nat: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

+$21k

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

BachCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$30,771

Nat: $70,786

Lifetime Value Added

-$251k

Anthropology

BachCIP: 4502

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$22,329

Nat: $46,676

Lifetime Value Added

-$328k

Area Studies

BachCIP: 0501

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $56,625

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management

BachCIP: 5010

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $48,240

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians

BachCIP: 1002

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $44,889

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

BachCIP: 2602

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $65,466

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

$18,750

Earnings (4yr)

$64,455

Nat: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

+$13k

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$16,557

Earnings (4yr)

$64,466

Nat: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

+$13k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

$20,000

Earnings (4yr)

$52,838

Nat: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

-$80k

Communication Disorders Sciences and Services

BachCIP: 5102

Median Debt

$20,029

Earnings (4yr)

$57,260

Nat: $58,928

Lifetime Value Added

-$44k

Computer Science

BachCIP: 1107

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$66,325

Nat: $107,009

Lifetime Value Added

+$59k

Construction Management

BachCIP: 5220

Median Debt

$14,748

Earnings (4yr)

$93,431

Nat: $95,124

Lifetime Value Added

+$232k

Criminal Justice and Corrections

BachCIP: 4301

Median Debt

$17,792

Earnings (4yr)

$55,577

Nat: $55,378

Lifetime Value Added

-$58k

Design and Applied Arts

BachCIP: 5004

Median Debt

$26,100

Earnings (4yr)

$48,976

Nat: $51,490

Lifetime Value Added

-$112k

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $39,775

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

BachCIP: 2613

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $48,842

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

$23,964

Earnings (4yr)

$45,483

Nat: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

-$142k

Film/Video and Photographic Arts

BachCIP: 5006

Median Debt

$22,000

Earnings (4yr)

$36,495

Nat: $43,765

Lifetime Value Added

-$218k

Finance and Financial Management Services

BachCIP: 5208

Median Debt

$18,099

Earnings (4yr)

$67,054

Nat: $83,343

Lifetime Value Added

+$33k

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

$21,764

Earnings (4yr)

$40,960

Nat: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

-$180k

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

BachCIP: 4006

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $60,190

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Gerontology

BachCIP: 3011

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $54,051

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health and Medical Administrative Services

BachCIP: 5107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$55,942

Nat: $58,716

Lifetime Value Added

-$55k

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Information Science/Studies

BachCIP: 1104

Median Debt

$12,779

Earnings (4yr)

$74,016

Nat: $85,294

Lifetime Value Added

+$86k

International/Globalization Studies

BachCIP: 3020

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $59,972

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Journalism

BachCIP: 0904

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$29,685

Nat: $56,278

Lifetime Value Added

-$260k

Legal Support Services

BachCIP: 2203

Median Debt

$25,155

Earnings (4yr)

$50,671

Nat: $53,266

Lifetime Value Added

-$98k

Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

BachCIP: 5213

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $86,176

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General

BachCIP: 3000

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$28,960

Nat: $50,532

Lifetime Value Added

-$267k

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

$24,593

Earnings (2yr)

$31,133

Nat: $55,693

Lifetime Value Added

-$247k

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Philosophy

BachCIP: 3801

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $54,455

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physics

BachCIP: 4008

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $76,786

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

$20,096

Earnings (2yr)

$30,984

Nat: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

-$249k

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$20,500

Earnings (4yr)

$49,492

Nat: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$108k

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

BachCIP: 0909

Median Debt

$19,042

Earnings (4yr)

$53,036

Nat: $63,560

Lifetime Value Added

-$79k

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

BachCIP: 0907

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $50,497

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

BachCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$12,500

Earnings (4yr)

$86,563

Nat: $88,910

Lifetime Value Added

+$180k

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Social Work

BachCIP: 4407

Median Debt

$19,909

Earnings (4yr)

$50,419

Nat: $51,790

Lifetime Value Added

-$100k

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

$26,000

Earnings (4yr)

$46,439

Nat: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

-$134k

Special Education and Teaching

BachCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$39,153

Nat: $50,499

Lifetime Value Added

-$175k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

BachCIP: 3105

Median Debt

$20,500

Earnings (4yr)

$50,987

Nat: $54,562

Lifetime Value Added

-$96k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$25,165

Earnings (4yr)

$45,142

Nat: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

-$144k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

$25,500

Earnings (4yr)

$49,685

Nat: $51,389

Lifetime Value Added

-$106k

Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language

BachCIP: 1314

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $42,259

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Visual and Performing Arts, General

BachCIP: 5001

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $41,688

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

MastCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$58,402

Nat: $95,833

Lifetime Value Added

+$79k

Business Administration, Management and Operations

MastCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$76,259

Nat: $103,485

Lifetime Value Added

+$205k

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology

MastCIP: 4228

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$66,988

Nat: $65,184

Lifetime Value Added

+$124k

Communication Disorders Sciences and Services

MastCIP: 5102

Median Debt

$40,116

Earnings (4yr)

$56,896

Nat: $67,030

Lifetime Value Added

+$32k

Curriculum and Instruction

MastCIP: 1303

Median Debt

$15,500

Earnings (4yr)

$65,104

Nat: $63,399

Lifetime Value Added

+$107k

Educational Administration and Supervision

MastCIP: 1304

Median Debt

$19,972

Earnings (4yr)

$72,151

Nat: $71,685

Lifetime Value Added

+$170k

Health and Medical Administrative Services

MastCIP: 5107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$94,536

Nat: $89,981

Lifetime Value Added

+$362k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

MastCIP: 5138

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $120,193

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Special Education and Teaching

MastCIP: 1310

Median Debt

$19,684

Earnings (4yr)

$62,753

Nat: $64,397

Lifetime Value Added

+$86k

Student Counseling and Personnel Services

MastCIP: 1311

Median Debt

$42,260

Earnings (4yr)

$51,358

Nat: $60,111

Lifetime Value Added

-$20k

Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language

MastCIP: 1314

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $65,767

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Graduate Certificates

Student Counseling and Personnel Services

Gr-CertCIP: 1311

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $64,774

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Professional Degrees

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology

ProfCIP: 4228

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$63,129

Nat: $70,514

Lifetime Value Added

-$38k

Educational Administration and Supervision

ProfCIP: 1304

Median Debt

$17,117

Earnings (4yr)

$93,709

Nat: $78,026

Lifetime Value Added

+$187k

Other Programs

Biology, General

DegCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $63,021

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, 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.