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Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, KY 8,065 Undergrads 50.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$19,471
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,168
After Aid
Median Earnings
$50,220
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$7,168
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$50,220
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate50.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients30.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time83.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.8%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
96.0%
SAT Avg
1,114
SAT Reading
25th: 45853575th: 573
SAT Math
25th: 45856275th: 560
ACT Composite
25th: 192375th: 25
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
+$439k
+$43k
-$45k
Median Cost$7k/yr
+$413k
+$17k
-$71k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$369k
-$27k
-$115k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$7k/yr
Never
-276%
Full Cost$19k/yr
Never
-165%
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-186%
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-89%
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
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,471
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,358
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$19,465
Earnings (5yr)
$69,638
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$27,250
Earnings (5yr)
$55,224
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Lifetime Value Added
-$300k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,852
Earnings (5yr)
$56,236
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$63,791
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$27,750
Earnings (5yr)
$65,218
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,683
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,085
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$22,431
Earnings (5yr)
$55,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$22,925
Earnings (5yr)
$86,745
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Construction Management
BachCIP: 5220
Median Debt
$17,875
Earnings (5yr)
$89,765
Lifetime Value Added
+$241k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$22,812
Earnings (5yr)
$51,498
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,819
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$18,057
Earnings (5yr)
$30,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$230k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,092
Earnings (5yr)
$35,381
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
BachCIP: 5207
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,864
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$21,237
Earnings (5yr)
$69,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$24,883
Earnings (5yr)
$37,053
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,835
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$74,867
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$24,484
Earnings (5yr)
$44,967
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,578
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1506
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$84,729
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,863
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$231k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$25,417
Earnings (5yr)
$44,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$22,100
Earnings (5yr)
$54,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$22,125
Earnings (5yr)
$88,946
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$61,687
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,779
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,803
Earnings (5yr)
$41,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,948
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$42,365
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$24,225
Earnings (5yr)
$52,164
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$23,050
Earnings (5yr)
$70,920
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,351
Lifetime Value Added
-$279k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$24,412
Earnings (5yr)
$42,842
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,232
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$36,131
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$23,457
Earnings (5yr)
$41,370
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,220
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,876
Lifetime Value Added
+$305k
Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$29,830
Earnings (5yr)
$114,221
Lifetime Value Added
+$548k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,569
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,992
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$61,516
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$40,705
Earnings (5yr)
$97,238
Lifetime Value Added
+$402k
Management Information Systems and Services
MastCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$82,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$319k
Medical Illustration and Informatics
MastCIP: 5127
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,673
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,762
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,468
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$40,975
Earnings (5yr)
$106,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$483k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$32,038
Earnings (5yr)
$54,909
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,585
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$24,400
Earnings (5yr)
$50,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Doctoral Degrees
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$94,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$272k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$101,097
Earnings (5yr)
$83,680
Lifetime Value Added
+$151k
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.