College ROI

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Missouri University of Science and Technology

Rolla, MO 5,521 Undergrads 66.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$29,231
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,298
After Aid
Median Earnings
$93,514
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,298
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$93,514
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$82,957
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate66.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients21.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS86.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
72.5%
SAT Avg
1,317
SAT Reading
25th: 58066075th: 690
SAT Math
25th: 61071575th: 730
ACT Composite
25th: 252975th: 31

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
+$793k
+$327k
+$309k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$735k
+$268k
+$250k
Full Cost$29k/yr
+$688k
+$221k
+$204k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
29
427%
Full Cost$29k/yr
32
194%
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 Return460%

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 Return80%
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

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,006
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$96,090
Natl Median: $98,207
Lifetime Value Added
+$270k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
$22,866
Earnings (4yr)
$66,750
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$85,754
Natl Median: $89,406
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$58,290
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$73,519
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Median Debt
$22,655
Earnings (4yr)
$80,332
Natl Median: $83,947
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (4yr)
$94,686
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$259k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,478
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$25,464
Earnings (4yr)
$85,053
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Median Debt
$23,338
Earnings (4yr)
$107,195
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$355k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$99,620
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$297k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$98,264
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$287k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$91,035
Natl Median: $89,619
Lifetime Value Added
+$231k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,375
Earnings (4yr)
$71,901
Natl Median: $81,171
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,252
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Median Debt
$19,249
Earnings (4yr)
$75,259
Natl Median: $77,880
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,132
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Median Debt
$23,578
Earnings (4yr)
$81,840
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,412
Earnings (4yr)
$91,742
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$237k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$93,398
Natl Median: $92,722
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
Median Debt
$26,879
Earnings (4yr)
$95,707
Natl Median: $101,390
Lifetime Value Added
+$267k
Nuclear Engineering
BachCIP: 1423
Median Debt
$22,773
Earnings (4yr)
$89,929
Natl Median: $99,297
Lifetime Value Added
+$223k
Median Debt
$27,750
Earnings (4yr)
$102,405
Natl Median: $104,823
Lifetime Value Added
+$318k
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
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,702
Earnings (4yr)
$49,360
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $122,434
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,060
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$110,635
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$303k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,468
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$92,698
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Median Debt
-
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: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,083
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,439
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,527
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
MastCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,295
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$109,976
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$298k
Engineering, Other
MastCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$90,792
Natl Median: $129,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,629
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$93,437
Natl Median: $94,646
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $122,873
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,282
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$135,171
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$516k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,209
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$125,688
Natl Median: $113,005
Lifetime Value Added
+$434k
Nuclear Engineering
MastCIP: 1423
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $117,400
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $147,771
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Systems Engineering
MastCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$145,788
Natl Median: $144,565
Lifetime Value Added
+$608k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$102,996
Natl Median: $121,041
Lifetime Value Added
+$316k
Engineering, Other
Gr-CertCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$97,443
Natl Median: $97,443
Lifetime Value Added
+$264k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$99,304
Natl Median: $99,304
Lifetime Value Added
+$282k
Systems Engineering
Gr-CertCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $148,730
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
DocCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $154,538
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $167,302
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $157,305
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $171,574
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,845
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
DocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,070
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $143,572
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
DocCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,153
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $162,438
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.