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North Carolina Central University
Durham, NC 5,400 Undergrads 54.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$25,618
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,028
After Aid
Median Earnings
$42,968
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$15,028
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$42,968
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate54.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients62.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS60.6%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
90.5%
SAT Avg
1,023
SAT Reading
25th: 50054075th: 570
SAT Math
25th: 48050075th: 530
ACT Composite
25th: 171875th: 18
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
+$380k
-$17k
-$105k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$326k
-$71k
-$159k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$288k
-$109k
-$197k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-293%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-213%
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 Return-273%
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-116%
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
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,109
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,779
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (5yr)
$50,247
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$27,375
Earnings (5yr)
$40,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Computer Programming
BachCIP: 1102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,119
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,281
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,054
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1901
Median Debt
$28,375
Earnings (5yr)
$41,014
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (2yr)
$22,192
Lifetime Value Added
-$318k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,445
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$30,747
Earnings (5yr)
$40,288
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$27,108
Earnings (2yr)
$31,851
Lifetime Value Added
-$229k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,774
Lifetime Value Added
-$285k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
BachCIP: 3103
Median Debt
$30,434
Earnings (5yr)
$35,544
Lifetime Value Added
-$214k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
BachCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$22,355
Earnings (5yr)
$92,624
Lifetime Value Added
+$234k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,987
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,160
Earnings (5yr)
$42,637
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (5yr)
$79,100
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,179
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,639
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,784
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$59,393
Earnings (5yr)
$70,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$156k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$57,887
Earnings (5yr)
$60,597
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$55,965
Earnings (5yr)
$71,038
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
MastCIP: 1901
Median Debt
$64,318
Earnings (5yr)
$48,103
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Information Science/Studies
MastCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$53,309
Earnings (5yr)
$81,747
Lifetime Value Added
+$255k
Library Science and Administration
MastCIP: 2501
Median Debt
$40,625
Earnings (5yr)
$52,313
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$86,964
Earnings (5yr)
$56,223
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$76,881
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$62,084
Earnings (5yr)
$65,070
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$44,062
Earnings (5yr)
$54,375
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$80,750
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$117,597
Earnings (5yr)
$74,587
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
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.