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Montclair State University
Montclair, NJ 17,677 Undergrads 71.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$25,926
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,159
After Aid
Median Earnings
$61,415
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$14,159
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$61,415
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate71.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients45.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
87.4%
SAT Avg
1,080
SAT Reading
25th: 48055575th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 46055575th: 605
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
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
+$528k
+$131k
+$44k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$477k
+$80k
-$7k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$435k
+$38k
-$50k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
39
∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-15%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-53%
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 Return1%
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-51%
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
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$89,450
Lifetime Value Added
+$214k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (2yr)
$27,439
Lifetime Value Added
-$266k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (2yr)
$28,236
Lifetime Value Added
-$259k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,486
Earnings (5yr)
$63,209
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,037
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$64,298
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$89,204
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
$26,776
Earnings (5yr)
$27,863
Lifetime Value Added
-$277k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$25,375
Earnings (5yr)
$52,388
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$35,768
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$23,125
Earnings (5yr)
$49,803
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,163
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$26,998
Earnings (5yr)
$43,683
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1905
Median Debt
$22,616
Earnings (5yr)
$60,325
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$57,021
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,040
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$22,551
Earnings (5yr)
$54,979
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
$26,375
Earnings (5yr)
$58,459
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$22,125
Earnings (5yr)
$60,997
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$60,449
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,270
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,252
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$53,923
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,721
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$65,566
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (2yr)
$36,852
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,375
Earnings (5yr)
$39,277
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$48,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$57,234
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Post-Baccalaureate Certificates
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
PB-CertCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Social Work
PB-CertCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,636
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$110,692
Lifetime Value Added
+$505k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$205k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$37,409
Earnings (5yr)
$126,613
Lifetime Value Added
+$641k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$36,500
Earnings (5yr)
$76,744
Lifetime Value Added
+$214k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$44,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,831
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$28,660
Earnings (5yr)
$64,132
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$27,500
Earnings (5yr)
$88,929
Lifetime Value Added
+$318k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$35,842
Earnings (5yr)
$68,177
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,727
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$38,892
Earnings (5yr)
$62,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$25,784
Earnings (5yr)
$58,589
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Graduate Certificates
Educational Administration and Supervision
Gr-CertCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$312k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Gr-CertCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,891
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Gr-CertCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$78,053
Lifetime Value Added
+$302k
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.