College ROI

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Morehead State University

Morehead, KY 4,578 Undergrads 51.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$21,961
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,793
After Aid
Median Earnings
$50,224
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$9,793
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$50,224
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$43,197
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate51.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients49.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS64.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
77.2%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$455k
-$11k
-$29k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$420k
-$47k
-$64k
Full Cost$22k/yr
+$376k
-$90k
-$108k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-182%
Full Cost$22k/yr
Never
-137%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-140%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-82%
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

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$23,326
Earnings (4yr)
$67,127
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
AssocCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,979
Earnings (4yr)
$38,316
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,556
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,625
Earnings (4yr)
$75,065
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$264k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,600
Natl Median: $41,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$22,782
Earnings (4yr)
$50,125
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,588
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,819
Earnings (4yr)
$45,255
Natl Median: $53,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Median Debt
$21,589
Earnings (4yr)
$76,850
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$18,788
Earnings (4yr)
$65,624
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Median Debt
$24,122
Earnings (4yr)
$55,282
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,191
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,857
Earnings (4yr)
$44,149
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,805
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$76,568
Natl Median: $80,526
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$85,181
Natl Median: $89,619
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other
BachCIP: 1599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,678
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$35,895
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,768
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$32,257
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,124
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,836
Earnings (4yr)
$43,422
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,145
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$41,206
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$23,655
Earnings (4yr)
$47,916
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,768
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
$24,383
Earnings (4yr)
$40,990
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$26,868
Earnings (4yr)
$62,865
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,025
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,560
Earnings (4yr)
$45,874
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,667
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Median Debt
$25,487
Earnings (4yr)
$85,740
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$214k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$45,201
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,373
Earnings (4yr)
$50,331
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Median Debt
$25,375
Earnings (4yr)
$39,777
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,877
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Median Debt
$23,124
Earnings (4yr)
$37,275
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Median Debt
$28,420
Earnings (4yr)
$47,242
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$38,347
Natl Median: $44,115
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $122,434
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,654
Earnings (4yr)
$89,399
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$31,484
Earnings (4yr)
$44,419
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$279k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,214
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,340
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$241k
Median Debt
$21,062
Earnings (4yr)
$53,758
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,415
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$269k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,924
Natl Median: $69,033
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Education, General
Gr-CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,448
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,166
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$88,148
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k

Other Programs

Education, General
DegCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,645
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,231
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.