College ROI

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Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, OK 4,772 Undergrads 51.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$23,052
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,424
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,124
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,424
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$52,124
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$48,728
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate51.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)25.0
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients49.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time75.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS67.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
99.6%
SAT Avg
1,049
SAT Reading
25th: 43852575th: 593
SAT Math
25th: 42850575th: 543
ACT Composite
25th: 182075th: 23

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
+$465k
-$5k
-$22k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$420k
-$50k
-$66k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$382k
-$88k
-$105k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-148%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-126%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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-123%

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-79%

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

Homeland Security
CertCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,995
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$16,250
Earnings (4yr)
$65,781
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
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Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,140
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,387
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
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Median Debt
$16,375
Earnings (4yr)
$60,651
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
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Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,981
Natl Median: $66,697
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,593
Earnings (5yr)
$80,588
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$156k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,854
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
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Median Debt
$12,717
Earnings (4yr)
$53,271
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
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Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$67,854
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
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Median Debt
$16,063
Earnings (4yr)
$50,268
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
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Median Debt
$15,191
Earnings (4yr)
$54,484
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Physics
BachCIP: 1412
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,154
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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)
$38,731
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,275
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,249
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,693
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$295k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,608
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
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Homeland Security
BachCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,193
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,742
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,506
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
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Median Debt
$17,681
Earnings (4yr)
$41,705
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,328
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
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Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$21,125
Earnings (4yr)
$54,577
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,978
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
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Median Debt
$20,153
Earnings (4yr)
$57,549
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
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Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$25,125
Earnings (4yr)
$48,057
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
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Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$69,276
Natl Median: $86,525
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
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Median Debt
$14,748
Earnings (4yr)
$96,702
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$291k
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Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$46,102
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
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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: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$15,125
Earnings (4yr)
$54,943
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
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Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,367
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,517
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$13,975
Earnings (4yr)
$44,064
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
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Median Debt
$13,750
Earnings (4yr)
$43,116
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
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Median Debt
$14,750
Earnings (4yr)
$45,474
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$72,796
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
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Area Studies
MastCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,936
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,583
Earnings (4yr)
$81,944
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
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Median Debt
$37,231
Earnings (4yr)
$65,037
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,470
Earnings (4yr)
$60,979
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
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Median Debt
$27,582
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,420
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$361k
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Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (4yr)
$69,399
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (2yr)
$68,219
Natl Median: $100,487
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,552
Natl Median: $56,301
Lifetime Value Added
-$255k
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Median Debt
$35,185
Earnings (4yr)
$82,883
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,106
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,366
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,560
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
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Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,763
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,444
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Optometry
ProfCIP: 5117
Median Debt
$169,941
Earnings (4yr)
$119,476
Natl Median: $131,525
Lifetime Value Added
+$194k
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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.