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Oklahoma State University-Main Campus
Stillwater, OK 20,814 Undergrads 64.0% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$25,915
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,378
After Aid
Median Earnings
$57,413
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$16,378
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$57,413
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate64.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients26.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
70.9%
SAT Avg
1,145
SAT Reading
25th: 52058075th: 630
SAT Math
25th: 51057075th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: 202475th: 27
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
+$497k
+$100k
+$12k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$438k
+$41k
-$47k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$403k
+$7k
-$81k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
51
∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
Never
-79%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-87%
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-58%
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-66%
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
$20,734
Earnings (5yr)
$83,450
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Agricultural Business and Management
BachCIP: 0101
Median Debt
$17,375
Earnings (5yr)
$54,787
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Agricultural Public Services
BachCIP: 0108
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,870
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (2yr)
$36,141
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$55,473
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Apparel and Textiles
BachCIP: 1909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,384
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,286
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$18,716
Earnings (5yr)
$60,545
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (5yr)
$60,919
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$106,170
Lifetime Value Added
+$331k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$18,259
Earnings (5yr)
$65,876
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$23,097
Earnings (5yr)
$97,420
Lifetime Value Added
+$265k
Construction Engineering Technologies
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
$24,525
Earnings (5yr)
$104,699
Lifetime Value Added
+$320k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
BachCIP: 2613
Median Debt
$21,410
Earnings (5yr)
$44,515
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$20,574
Earnings (2yr)
$68,499
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
BachCIP: 5207
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (2yr)
$44,384
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$21,277
Earnings (5yr)
$82,818
Lifetime Value Added
+$156k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$21,111
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$295k
Fire Protection
BachCIP: 4302
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$90,486
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1905
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$65,718
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$21,122
Earnings (5yr)
$57,048
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$21,515
Earnings (5yr)
$48,102
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$21,157
Earnings (2yr)
$28,212
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$23,245
Earnings (5yr)
$56,670
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,756
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1508
Median Debt
$22,409
Earnings (5yr)
$79,636
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$20,637
Earnings (5yr)
$91,640
Lifetime Value Added
+$222k
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
BachCIP: 2605
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (2yr)
$37,748
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$72,132
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,683
Earnings (5yr)
$48,554
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$19,700
Earnings (5yr)
$56,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$54,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$22,173
Earnings (5yr)
$45,997
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,976
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Zoology/Animal Biology
BachCIP: 2607
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$42,404
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,221
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$18,682
Earnings (5yr)
$104,639
Lifetime Value Added
+$449k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$29,850
Earnings (5yr)
$62,383
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$23,777
Earnings (5yr)
$49,804
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$30,071
Earnings (5yr)
$75,306
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$40,010
Earnings (5yr)
$64,381
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
Doctoral Degrees
Veterinary Medicine
DocCIP: 0180
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$101,095
Lifetime Value Added
+$245k
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.