College ROI

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Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MS 18,397 Undergrads 63.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$30,713
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,781
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,074
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,781
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$60,074
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$54,296
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate63.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)21.2
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients31.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
77.6%
SAT Avg
1,219
SAT Reading
25th: 56062075th: 670
SAT Math
25th: 54059075th: 680
ACT Composite
25th: 212575th: 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
+$530k
+$59k
+$43k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$462k
-$8k
-$24k
Full Cost$31k/yr
+$419k
-$51k
-$67k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
39
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-36%
Full Cost$31k/yr
Never
-61%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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-16%

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-60%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$17,665
Earnings (4yr)
$70,904
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
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Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$88,444
Natl Median: $98,207
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
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Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$78,998
Natl Median: $66,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
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Median Debt
$20,375
Earnings (4yr)
$69,160
Natl Median: $53,588
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
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Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$23,531
Earnings (4yr)
$52,755
Natl Median: $49,634
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
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Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$334k
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Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,129
Natl Median: $57,640
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
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Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,494
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$30,737
Earnings (4yr)
$69,699
Natl Median: $66,914
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
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Median Debt
$21,693
Earnings (4yr)
$44,979
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
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Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,221
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
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Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$74,542
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
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Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,993
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$95,968
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$262k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,916
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
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Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$81,203
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
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Median Debt
$25,125
Earnings (4yr)
$50,176
Natl Median: $50,523
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,035
Earnings (4yr)
$48,493
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
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Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$82,852
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
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Median Debt
$22,950
Earnings (4yr)
$85,275
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
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Median Debt
$26,292
Earnings (4yr)
$94,068
Natl Median: $95,124
Lifetime Value Added
+$248k
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Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$21,640
Earnings (4yr)
$48,805
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
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Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,410
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,308
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$106,039
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$339k
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Engineering, Other
BachCIP: 1499
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$91,124
Natl Median: $93,989
Lifetime Value Added
+$225k
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Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$35,877
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$220k
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Median Debt
$27,250
Earnings (5yr)
$49,296
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
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Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (4yr)
$70,367
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
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Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$39,940
Natl Median: $70,873
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
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Forestry
BachCIP: 0305
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,499
Natl Median: $58,784
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
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Median Debt
$22,979
Earnings (4yr)
$62,082
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$1k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$36,614
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$213k
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Median Debt
$20,503
Earnings (4yr)
$41,439
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
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Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (4yr)
$92,332
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k
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Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$79,068
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
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Median Debt
$26,820
Earnings (4yr)
$61,421
Natl Median: $60,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,387
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,273
Earnings (4yr)
$41,446
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
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Median Debt
$26,958
Earnings (5yr)
$60,124
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
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Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$74,780
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
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Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,875
Earnings (4yr)
$61,364
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (4yr)
$69,787
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
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Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$93,893
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$246k
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Median Debt
$21,658
Earnings (5yr)
$66,520
Natl Median: $62,582
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
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Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$42,399
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
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Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $104,823
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
$19,688
Earnings (4yr)
$50,653
Natl Median: $56,567
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
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Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,325
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,097
Earnings (4yr)
$41,986
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
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Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$37,656
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$204k
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Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$26,921
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$41,627
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$50,503
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
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Median Debt
$19,688
Earnings (4yr)
$40,431
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
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Median Debt
$21,443
Earnings (4yr)
$49,541
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
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Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$36,617
Natl Median: $44,115
Lifetime Value Added
-$213k
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Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$38,939
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
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Median Debt
$20,719
Earnings (4yr)
$45,445
Natl Median: $45,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$90,234
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $122,434
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,332
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,454
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,276
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,913
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,468
Earnings (5yr)
$61,716
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,090
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,598
Earnings (4yr)
$128,049
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$451k
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Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$110,821
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
+$301k
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Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $121,855
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$61,497
Earnings (5yr)
$59,557
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
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Median Debt
$33,751
Earnings (4yr)
$57,090
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,105
Natl Median: $64,913
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
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Forestry
MastCIP: 0305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$86,410
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
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History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,524
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $119,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,306
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,092
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Nutrition Sciences
MastCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,622
Natl Median: $67,126
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
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Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,054
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$242k
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Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$39,048
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,427
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$229k
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Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,226
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
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Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$85,149
Natl Median: $114,810
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
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Median Debt
$39,004
Earnings (4yr)
$46,167
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$280k
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Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (5yr)
$55,781
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$198k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $119,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,299
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,772
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,983
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,848
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,507
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $154,538
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,031
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,635
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $157,305
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,630
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering, Other
DocCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $140,028
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,039
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,538
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $137,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $87,076
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $108,943
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,908
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
DocCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,618
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
DocCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,993
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,168
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $135,581
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,436
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Veterinary Medicine
ProfCIP: 0180
Median Debt
$162,000
Earnings (4yr)
$137,892
Natl Median: $131,316
Lifetime Value Added
+$306k
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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.