College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA 18,639 Undergrads 67.3% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$25,244
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,803
After Aid
Median Earnings
$72,429
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$9,803
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$72,429
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$73,299
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate67.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)22.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients46.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time81.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
96.4%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$626k
+$156k
+$139k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$590k
+$120k
+$104k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$535k
+$65k
+$48k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
30
∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
34
295%
Full Cost$25k/yr
44
53%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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 Return193%

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 Return1%

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)
$92,546
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
+$509k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,242
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,300
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
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Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (4yr)
$53,575
Natl Median: $57,640
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
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Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$76,134
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
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Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,204
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$128k
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Median Debt
$16,624
Earnings (4yr)
$73,775
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,482
Natl Median: $66,697
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,356
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
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Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$90,894
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,731
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
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Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$70,532
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,425
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$222k
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Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$94,129
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$281k
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Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$17,062
Earnings (4yr)
$105,166
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$365k
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Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,764
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
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Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,627
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
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Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,678
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Natl Median: $55,840
Lifetime Value Added
-$201k
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Median Debt
$16,842
Earnings (4yr)
$44,848
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,603
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
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Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$82,697
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
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Median Debt
$19,178
Earnings (4yr)
$112,454
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$420k
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Median Debt
$15,833
Earnings (4yr)
$56,297
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
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Median Debt
$17,958
Earnings (4yr)
$59,990
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,530
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
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Median Debt
$15,305
Earnings (4yr)
$47,149
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
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Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$42,868
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,590
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (4yr)
$65,252
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,717
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,510
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,207
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
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Median Debt
$12,766
Earnings (4yr)
$65,775
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
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Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$13,467
Earnings (4yr)
$57,260
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
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Median Debt
$17,481
Earnings (4yr)
$58,617
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,959
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
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Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,691
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (4yr)
$71,323
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
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Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$102,104
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$341k
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Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$18,812
Earnings (4yr)
$38,639
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
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Median Debt
$13,964
Earnings (4yr)
$62,116
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
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Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$61,895
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,212
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,083
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$16,152
Earnings (4yr)
$42,993
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
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Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$13,773
Earnings (4yr)
$61,915
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$13,250
Earnings (4yr)
$55,902
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
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Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$58,550
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
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Median Debt
$13,331
Earnings (4yr)
$150,102
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$703k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,085
Earnings (4yr)
$59,032
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,623
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
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Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,763
Earnings (4yr)
$68,524
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
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Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,385
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (4yr)
$59,056
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
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Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$59,993
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,894
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,207
Natl Median: $62,532
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
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Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$168,384
Natl Median: $85,128
Lifetime Value Added
+$925k
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Median Debt
$12,928
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,593
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
PB-CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,623
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,414
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,439
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$70,296
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
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Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,276
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Behavioral Sciences
MastCIP: 3017
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,593
Natl Median: $65,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$417k
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Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$128,052
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
+$467k
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Median Debt
$41,300
Earnings (4yr)
$131,094
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$494k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,837
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$96,854
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
+$196k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,941
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
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Median Debt
$36,436
Earnings (4yr)
$95,402
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k
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Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,871
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,527
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$22,200
Earnings (4yr)
$75,757
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$109,935
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$310k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,210
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,709
Natl Median: $62,705
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,486
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Gerontology
MastCIP: 3011
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,618
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$34,704
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
-$363k
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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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marine Sciences
MastCIP: 3032
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,840
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)
$72,271
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,692
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,313
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
MastCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$12,961
Natl Median: $60,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$595k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,100
Earnings (4yr)
$108,093
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$294k
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Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,053
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$66,841
Earnings (4yr)
$152,207
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$675k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Natl Median: $63,216
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
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Median Debt
$66,596
Earnings (4yr)
$62,221
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$34,250
Earnings (4yr)
$94,452
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
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Median Debt
$33,065
Earnings (4yr)
$76,580
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$91,778
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
+$151k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$77,699
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$157,979
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$486k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$96,298
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
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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.