College ROI

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Rutgers University-Newark

Newark, NJ 7,709 Undergrads 71.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$35,654
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,703
After Aid
Median Earnings
$77,933
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,703
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$77,933
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$74,479
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate71.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients59.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
71.4%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -56575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -58575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2575th: -

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
+$674k
+$208k
+$190k
Median Cost$20k/yr
+$604k
+$137k
+$119k
Full Cost$36k/yr
+$546k
+$79k
+$62k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$20k/yr
35
168%
Full Cost$36k/yr
44
48%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return185%

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-3%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$89,087
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
Median Debt
$17,547
Earnings (4yr)
$87,399
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$25,154
Earnings (4yr)
$56,468
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,306
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$83,606
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (4yr)
$73,245
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Median Debt
$15,334
Earnings (4yr)
$84,376
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
Median Debt
$20,904
Earnings (4yr)
$125,303
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$479k
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (4yr)
$61,817
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$42,712
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$86,120
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,337
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,164
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$63,679
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Median Debt
$20,620
Earnings (4yr)
$100,695
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$293k
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,450
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Median Debt
$24,068
Earnings (4yr)
$70,106
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,880
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,375
Earnings (4yr)
$59,921
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,657
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$87,757
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$194k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,670
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Median Debt
$19,582
Earnings (4yr)
$89,098
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$74,813
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$81,845
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$149k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$51,581
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$25,492
Earnings (4yr)
$56,008
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$67,805
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$21,625
Earnings (4yr)
$58,891
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$23,971
Earnings (4yr)
$67,544
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$63,765
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$56,479
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$67,099
Natl Median: $61,630
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,913
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$66,519
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,692
Earnings (4yr)
$56,797
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,197
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,055
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$36,224
Earnings (4yr)
$106,813
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$264k
Area Studies
MastCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,936
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$125,457
Natl Median: $82,371
Lifetime Value Added
+$426k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$39,405
Earnings (4yr)
$84,839
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Median Debt
$50,681
Earnings (4yr)
$155,535
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$686k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,702
Natl Median: $79,665
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$121,183
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$389k
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$75,983
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$32,500
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$309k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$35,792
Earnings (4yr)
$95,935
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$40,763
Earnings (4yr)
$56,792
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,627
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$32,036
Earnings (4yr)
$104,397
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$243k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,267
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$34,561
Earnings (4yr)
$68,463
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$79,478
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Median Debt
$47,905
Earnings (4yr)
$74,870
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$85,904
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,216
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,664
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,438
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,246
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$157,286
Natl Median: $92,983
Lifetime Value Added
+$445k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,427
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $87,076
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
DocCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,153
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$63,346
Earnings (4yr)
$95,771
Natl Median: $98,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,464
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$67,500
Earnings (4yr)
$161,430
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$476k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,410
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,599
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.