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Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, IN 5,450 Undergrads 42.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$19,714
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,513
After Aid
Median Earnings
$45,872
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$11,513
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$45,872
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate42.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients35.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time84.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS72.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
85.7%
SAT Avg
1,078
SAT Reading
25th: 48055575th: 600
SAT Math
25th: 48055075th: 590
ACT Composite
25th: 192375th: 26
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
+$404k
+$7k
-$81k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$362k
-$34k
-$122k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$333k
-$64k
-$152k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-295%
Full Cost$20k/yr
Never
-214%
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-269%
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-108%
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 (2yr)
$42,235
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,759
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,689
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Bachelor's Degrees
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,439
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,316
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$20,003
Earnings (5yr)
$60,589
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$22,068
Earnings (5yr)
$47,998
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$17,340
Earnings (5yr)
$43,313
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$60,771
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (2yr)
$63,749
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Construction Engineering Technologies
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
$21,784
Earnings (5yr)
$73,207
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$53,379
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$22,313
Earnings (5yr)
$61,653
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,325
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$15,986
Earnings (5yr)
$37,112
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$22,806
Earnings (5yr)
$41,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$21,932
Earnings (5yr)
$47,292
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,772
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1508
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$83,383
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$22,303
Earnings (5yr)
$42,914
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$16,169
Lifetime Value Added
-$361k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,901
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Public Administration
BachCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$20,375
Earnings (5yr)
$52,883
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,772
Earnings (5yr)
$72,916
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$22,828
Earnings (5yr)
$46,902
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$28,371
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Master's Degrees
Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$19,974
Earnings (5yr)
$118,697
Lifetime Value Added
+$578k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,777
Lifetime Value Added
+$176k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$50,646
Earnings (2yr)
$109,095
Lifetime Value Added
+$553k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$49,043
Earnings (5yr)
$54,671
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
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.