College ROI

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Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN 5,484 Undergrads 35.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$22,568
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,471
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,361
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,471
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$58,361
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$51,617
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate35.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average starting age (2015-17)21.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients39.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time85.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS69.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
83.9%
SAT Avg
1,100
SAT Reading
25th: 49055075th: 610
SAT Math
25th: 48054075th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: 222575th: 29

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
+$516k
+$46k
+$29k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$471k
+$767
-$16k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$435k
-$36k
-$52k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
43
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-35%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-64%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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-16%

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-53%

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

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
CertCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,278
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,097
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
CertCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,001
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Gerontology
CertCIP: 3011
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,839
Natl Median: $48,636
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,583
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,618
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
CertCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,502
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,511
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,128
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
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Chemistry
AssocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,597
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,593
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,342
Natl Median: $64,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$246k
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Bachelor's Degrees

Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$50,366
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
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Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (4yr)
$60,816
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
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Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$63,627
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,481
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
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Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
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Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$46,619
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
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Median Debt
$19,225
Earnings (4yr)
$47,614
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$69,013
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,742
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$18,432
Earnings (4yr)
$101,396
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$326k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,576
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
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Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$72,564
Natl Median: $93,843
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,046
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,227
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,297
Earnings (5yr)
$96,014
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$271k
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Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,475
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
+$237k
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Median Debt
$22,846
Earnings (4yr)
$38,113
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$37,718
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
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History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,238
Earnings (5yr)
$53,164
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,909
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,910
Earnings (4yr)
$44,299
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,375
Earnings (4yr)
$81,259
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
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Median Debt
$20,357
Earnings (4yr)
$85,075
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$202k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$23,183
Earnings (4yr)
$38,682
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
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Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,257
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,533
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,278
Earnings (4yr)
$45,525
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,723
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
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Master's Degrees

Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,255
Earnings (4yr)
$113,001
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
+$332k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$83,291
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$39,627
Earnings (4yr)
$60,385
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
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Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,147
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.