Back to Colleges
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA 20,033 Undergrads 66.4% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$25,258
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,882
After Aid
Median Earnings
$68,077
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$12,882
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$68,077
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate66.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time82.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
96.2%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
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
+$579k
+$182k
+$94k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$532k
+$136k
+$48k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$488k
+$91k
+$3k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
42
103%
Full Cost$25k/yr
61
4%
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 Return105%
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-22%
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
Legal Support Services
CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,775
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$12,971
Earnings (5yr)
$82,791
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (5yr)
$50,064
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Apparel and Textiles
BachCIP: 1909
Median Debt
$17,625
Earnings (5yr)
$65,412
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$14,986
Earnings (5yr)
$80,520
Lifetime Value Added
+$151k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,380
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$79,995
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
BachCIP: 2604
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$78,780
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$94,846
Lifetime Value Added
+$259k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$100,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$303k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$13,703
Earnings (5yr)
$69,437
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (5yr)
$69,166
Lifetime Value Added
+$66k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$82,648
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$13,750
Earnings (5yr)
$111,112
Lifetime Value Added
+$380k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$17,353
Earnings (5yr)
$112,049
Lifetime Value Added
+$387k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$14,992
Earnings (5yr)
$64,458
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,008
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services
BachCIP: 5131
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,282
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$17,940
Earnings (5yr)
$31,222
Lifetime Value Added
-$244k
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1603
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (5yr)
$50,651
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$13,625
Earnings (5yr)
$76,801
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$16,125
Earnings (5yr)
$99,534
Lifetime Value Added
+$294k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$16,743
Earnings (5yr)
$46,692
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$17,303
Earnings (5yr)
$55,308
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1901
Median Debt
$16,702
Earnings (5yr)
$54,183
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$17,375
Earnings (5yr)
$48,379
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$15,128
Earnings (5yr)
$77,321
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$17,610
Earnings (5yr)
$36,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$198k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$16,359
Earnings (5yr)
$50,547
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$17,250
Earnings (5yr)
$62,316
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$62,443
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,616
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$14,125
Earnings (5yr)
$56,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,426
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
$20,897
Earnings (5yr)
$67,678
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$16,625
Earnings (5yr)
$54,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,760
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$15,250
Earnings (5yr)
$61,526
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$12,408
Earnings (5yr)
$73,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (5yr)
$75,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$99,619
Lifetime Value Added
+$294k
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
BachCIP: 2605
Median Debt
$24,186
Earnings (5yr)
$87,999
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (5yr)
$30,461
Lifetime Value Added
-$250k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$14,087
Earnings (5yr)
$61,590
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
BachCIP: 3101
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (5yr)
$49,799
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (5yr)
$55,124
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences
BachCIP: 2609
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (5yr)
$77,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$16,200
Earnings (5yr)
$72,521
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$60,290
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,463
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,233
Earnings (5yr)
$144,430
Lifetime Value Added
+$627k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$16,689
Earnings (5yr)
$43,400
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$14,387
Earnings (2yr)
$27,618
Lifetime Value Added
-$260k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,675
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$61,399
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,169
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,728
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Urban Studies/Affairs
BachCIP: 4512
Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (5yr)
$57,943
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Zoology/Animal Biology
BachCIP: 2607
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Post-Baccalaureate Certificates
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
PB-CertCIP: 5110
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$150,277
Lifetime Value Added
+$972k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$115,426
Lifetime Value Added
+$548k
Behavioral Sciences
MastCIP: 3017
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,593
Lifetime Value Added
-$204k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$76,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$254k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$46,558
Earnings (5yr)
$124,033
Lifetime Value Added
+$621k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$112,862
Lifetime Value Added
+$526k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,941
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$35,880
Earnings (5yr)
$92,831
Lifetime Value Added
+$354k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (5yr)
$84,045
Lifetime Value Added
+$279k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$115,737
Lifetime Value Added
+$550k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
MastCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,934
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$34,704
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,932
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Philosophy
MastCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$12,961
Lifetime Value Added
-$381k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$25,864
Earnings (5yr)
$111,238
Lifetime Value Added
+$512k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$30,500
Earnings (5yr)
$91,104
Lifetime Value Added
+$339k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$150,589
Lifetime Value Added
+$846k
Research and Experimental Psychology
MastCIP: 4227
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$29,503
Earnings (5yr)
$52,477
Lifetime Value Added
-$350
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$23,688
Earnings (5yr)
$90,439
Lifetime Value Added
+$334k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$24,072
Earnings (5yr)
$75,494
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$40,113
Earnings (5yr)
$86,391
Lifetime Value Added
+$299k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$18,834
Earnings (2yr)
$57,995
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language
MastCIP: 1314
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$30,649
Lifetime Value Added
-$211k
Doctoral Degrees
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$61,250
Earnings (2yr)
$94,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$251k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$92,556
Lifetime Value Added
+$195k
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.