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Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN 5,181 Undergrads 51.1% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$21,389
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,485
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,813
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$14,485
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$55,813
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate51.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time78.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.8%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
95.0%
SAT Avg
1,091
SAT Reading
25th: 470-75th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 500-75th: 660
ACT Composite
25th: 182175th: 25
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
+$484k
+$87k
-$461
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$432k
+$35k
-$53k
Full Cost$21k/yr
+$407k
+$10k
-$77k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-101%
Full Cost$21k/yr
Never
-101%
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-78%
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
Certificates
Marketing
CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,676
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
Associate's Degrees
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (5yr)
$49,563
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$23,051
Earnings (5yr)
$73,029
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$26,496
Earnings (5yr)
$55,655
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,546
Earnings (5yr)
$77,085
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,831
Earnings (5yr)
$63,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,219
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
BachCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$20,471
Earnings (5yr)
$49,634
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
$19,347
Earnings (5yr)
$67,441
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$57,161
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$15,300
Earnings (5yr)
$45,495
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$24,215
Earnings (2yr)
$66,821
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$25,463
Earnings (5yr)
$106,149
Lifetime Value Added
+$337k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
BachCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$24,516
Earnings (5yr)
$71,369
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$56,967
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
BachCIP: 2613
Median Debt
$25,312
Earnings (5yr)
$42,896
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,524
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$20,800
Earnings (5yr)
$99,535
Lifetime Value Added
+$288k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$16,325
Earnings (5yr)
$38,235
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
BachCIP: 5207
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$68,815
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$27,576
Earnings (5yr)
$49,228
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$447
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,176
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1506
Median Debt
$14,574
Earnings (5yr)
$69,521
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,674
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$53,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$84,522
Lifetime Value Added
+$176k
Manufacturing Engineering
BachCIP: 1436
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$65,387
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$24,122
Earnings (5yr)
$86,091
Lifetime Value Added
+$187k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$26,421
Earnings (5yr)
$60,360
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$22,550
Earnings (5yr)
$49,852
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$20,850
Earnings (5yr)
$53,507
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
BachCIP: 3103
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$53,020
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,375
Earnings (5yr)
$56,185
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$16,250
Earnings (5yr)
$50,554
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,320
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,525
Earnings (5yr)
$82,809
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$24,300
Earnings (5yr)
$55,566
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$21,650
Earnings (5yr)
$47,220
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$45,546
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$25,591
Earnings (5yr)
$47,213
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Post-Baccalaureate Certificates
Special Education and Teaching
PB-CertCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$114,415
Lifetime Value Added
+$536k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$35,507
Earnings (5yr)
$73,664
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$57,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,657
Lifetime Value Added
+$290k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$20,891
Earnings (5yr)
$67,395
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$37,572
Earnings (5yr)
$59,953
Lifetime Value Added
+$66k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (2yr)
$44,021
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$23,636
Earnings (5yr)
$62,758
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,255
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$24,538
Earnings (5yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Graduate Certificates
Educational Administration and Supervision
Gr-CertCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$106,232
Lifetime Value Added
+$564k
Special Education and Teaching
Gr-CertCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$36,193
Earnings (5yr)
$59,486
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
Gr-CertCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
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.