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Rutgers University-New Brunswick
New Brunswick, NJ 36,357 Undergrads 84.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$35,232
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,519
After Aid
Median Earnings
$74,479
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$23,519
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$74,479
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate84.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients27.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.7%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
65.3%
SAT Avg
1,383
SAT Reading
25th: 63066075th: 720
SAT Math
25th: 64069575th: 760
ACT Composite
25th: 283075th: 33
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
+$626k
+$230k
+$142k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$541k
+$145k
+$57k
Full Cost$35k/yr
+$499k
+$103k
+$15k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
30
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
42
67%
Full Cost$35k/yr
56
12%
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 Return116%
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-23%
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 and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$15,375
Earnings (5yr)
$56,461
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,820
Lifetime Value Added
+$293k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,799
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$92,382
Lifetime Value Added
+$202k
Agricultural Engineering
BachCIP: 1403
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$17,547
Earnings (5yr)
$76,216
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$50,002
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$25,154
Earnings (5yr)
$53,715
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$22,015
Earnings (5yr)
$58,538
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$22,862
Earnings (5yr)
$77,419
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,842
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$23,745
Earnings (5yr)
$87,822
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
Biotechnology
BachCIP: 2612
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (2yr)
$41,725
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$87,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
BachCIP: 2604
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$72,612
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Ceramic Sciences and Engineering
BachCIP: 1406
Median Debt
$23,375
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$97,993
Lifetime Value Added
+$244k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (5yr)
$76,056
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$25,880
Earnings (5yr)
$89,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
$15,334
Earnings (5yr)
$91,204
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$72,419
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$20,904
Earnings (5yr)
$131,153
Lifetime Value Added
+$490k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (5yr)
$58,594
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
$25,565
Earnings (5yr)
$32,909
Lifetime Value Added
-$268k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$87,743
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,041
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$132,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$500k
Engineering Science
BachCIP: 1413
Median Debt
$23,985
Earnings (5yr)
$113,516
Lifetime Value Added
+$360k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,246
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$34,770
Lifetime Value Added
-$252k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$20,620
Earnings (5yr)
$101,309
Lifetime Value Added
+$269k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,946
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Genetics
BachCIP: 2608
Median Debt
$26,608
Earnings (2yr)
$23,351
Lifetime Value Added
-$338k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$20,375
Earnings (5yr)
$76,528
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,838
Earnings (5yr)
$70,465
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$77,159
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,981
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$80,550
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
$26,855
Earnings (5yr)
$93,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$97,712
Lifetime Value Added
+$242k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,307
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Landscape Architecture
BachCIP: 0406
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (2yr)
$32,569
Lifetime Value Added
-$253k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
$22,345
Earnings (5yr)
$53,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$19,582
Earnings (5yr)
$96,718
Lifetime Value Added
+$234k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$118,513
Lifetime Value Added
+$397k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$77,469
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$97,521
Lifetime Value Added
+$240k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$21,847
Earnings (5yr)
$94,837
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
BachCIP: 2605
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$231k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$55,836
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$25,492
Earnings (5yr)
$46,231
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$68,982
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$23,124
Earnings (5yr)
$60,545
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$21,625
Earnings (5yr)
$62,015
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$23,971
Earnings (5yr)
$87,968
Lifetime Value Added
+$169k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$71,531
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$58,473
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other
BachCIP: 4499
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$73,195
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,952
Earnings (5yr)
$93,912
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,305
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (5yr)
$55,390
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Social Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 4599
Median Debt
$24,788
Earnings (5yr)
$78,247
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,692
Earnings (5yr)
$53,428
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Urban Studies/Affairs
BachCIP: 4512
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$61,189
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$36,224
Earnings (5yr)
$103,170
Lifetime Value Added
+$423k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$119,080
Earnings (5yr)
$131,054
Lifetime Value Added
+$661k
Biological and Physical Sciences
MastCIP: 3001
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$142,232
Lifetime Value Added
+$756k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$39,405
Earnings (5yr)
$81,627
Lifetime Value Added
+$238k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$50,681
Earnings (5yr)
$155,687
Lifetime Value Added
+$870k
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
MastCIP: 0403
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$248k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$32,500
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Fine and Studio Arts
MastCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$20,450
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$304k
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (5yr)
$91,937
Lifetime Value Added
+$327k
Information Science/Studies
MastCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$33,456
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Library Science and Administration
MastCIP: 2501
Median Debt
$40,975
Earnings (5yr)
$60,930
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Medical Illustration and Informatics
MastCIP: 5127
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
MastCIP: 5120
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$131,662
Lifetime Value Added
+$666k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$47,905
Earnings (5yr)
$72,601
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$89,841
Lifetime Value Added
+$309k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (5yr)
$138,979
Lifetime Value Added
+$728k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$50,578
Earnings (5yr)
$69,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,354
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,895
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$35,003
Earnings (5yr)
$55,758
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$34,166
Earnings (5yr)
$57,972
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$25,940
Earnings (5yr)
$68,375
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Graduate Certificates
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences
Gr-CertCIP: 5105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$239,923
Lifetime Value Added
+$1768k
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services
Gr-CertCIP: 5131
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,276
Lifetime Value Added
+$211k
Doctoral Degrees
Law
DocCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$71,218
Earnings (5yr)
$110,322
Lifetime Value Added
+$287k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
DocCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$53,893
Earnings (5yr)
$132,633
Lifetime Value Added
+$448k
Psychology, General
DocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$63,346
Earnings (5yr)
$94,760
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
DocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$67,500
Earnings (5yr)
$138,311
Lifetime Value Added
+$489k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$86,783
Earnings (5yr)
$85,742
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Professional Degrees
Dentistry
ProfCIP: 5104
Median Debt
$254,122
Earnings (5yr)
$147,256
Lifetime Value Added
+$553k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$184,017
Earnings (5yr)
$116,296
Lifetime Value Added
+$330k
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.