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National University
San Diego, CA 10,794 Undergrads 46.0% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$31,068
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$24,008
After Aid
Median Earnings
$77,646
5yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$24,008
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$77,646Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$73,988Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate46.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average starting age (2015-17)31.7
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time59.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.7%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
ROI Sensitivity AnalysisAssuming 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
+$665k
+$195k
+$178k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$578k
+$108k
+$92k
Full Cost$31k/yr
+$553k
+$83k
+$67k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
38
106%
Full Cost$31k/yr
42
60%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ 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
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 Return204%
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 Return2%
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 →
Certificates
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Associate's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
AssocCIP: 2604
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (4yr)
$77,786
Natl Median: $75,809
Lifetime Value Added
+$265k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
AssocCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (4yr)
$60,134
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,734
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,755
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
AssocCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,641
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$31,250
Earnings (4yr)
$79,696
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$121,408
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$437k
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,909
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$28,125
Earnings (4yr)
$78,266
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Business/Corporate Communications
BachCIP: 5205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,724
Natl Median: $65,784
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$79,900
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$37,738
Earnings (4yr)
$95,555
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$240k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$94,203
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$230k
Construction Engineering
BachCIP: 1433
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$125,719
Natl Median: $97,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$451k
Construction Management
BachCIP: 5220
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,124
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,299
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$100,721
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$280k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,192
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$35,937
Earnings (4yr)
$59,956
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Median Debt
$23,437
Earnings (4yr)
$76,305
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,645
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Homeland Security
BachCIP: 4303
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$80,134
Natl Median: $70,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
BachCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,266
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,906
Earnings (5yr)
$68,899
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$28,125
Earnings (4yr)
$94,118
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
Manufacturing Engineering
BachCIP: 1436
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$97,525
Natl Median: $88,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$255k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
BachCIP: 3000
Median Debt
$26,843
Earnings (4yr)
$58,727
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
$29,687
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,305
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,334
Earnings (4yr)
$66,849
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Psychology, Other
BachCIP: 4299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,748
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Administration
BachCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$94,523
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
+$218k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$35,969
Earnings (4yr)
$70,340
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,604
Earnings (4yr)
$114,413
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$384k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,860
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,748
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Median Debt
$32,812
Earnings (4yr)
$53,761
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$21,197
Earnings (4yr)
$93,465
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,462
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education
MastCIP: 1302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,241
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$96,924
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$29,078
Earnings (4yr)
$78,497
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$63,474
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$132,798
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$482k
Median Debt
$38,616
Earnings (4yr)
$118,388
Natl Median: $121,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$357k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$32,491
Earnings (4yr)
$65,405
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
MastCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,402
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$35,541
Earnings (4yr)
$77,748
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$24,859
Earnings (4yr)
$110,083
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$285k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
MastCIP: 1305
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$93,547
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
+$141k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
MastCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$98,139
Natl Median: $99,068
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
Engineering-Related Fields
MastCIP: 1515
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$108,725
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$28,655
Earnings (4yr)
$66,189
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
MastCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,486
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$52,111
Earnings (4yr)
$81,355
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Homeland Security
MastCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,701
Natl Median: $96,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$34,019
Earnings (4yr)
$81,583
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
International Business
MastCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$73,949
Natl Median: $97,121
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Management Information Systems and Services
MastCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$118,874
Natl Median: $106,092
Lifetime Value Added
+$362k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
MastCIP: 5213
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Medical Illustration and Informatics
MastCIP: 5127
Median Debt
$35,567
Earnings (4yr)
$88,945
Natl Median: $101,441
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$33,405
Earnings (4yr)
$71,001
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$32,054
Earnings (4yr)
$88,988
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$49,240
Earnings (4yr)
$73,936
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
MastCIP: 0907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$127,649
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$438k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,662
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
Security Science and Technology
MastCIP: 4304
Median Debt
$34,082
Earnings (4yr)
$66,173
Natl Median: $82,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$85,908
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,529
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$277k
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
$31,361
Earnings (5yr)
$119,670
Natl Median: $123,816
Lifetime Value Added
+$348k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$78,979
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Sustainability Studies
MastCIP: 3033
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,897
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$67,015
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,661
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Graduate Certificates
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Gr-CertCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,509
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,709
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.