College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA 18,639 Undergrads 67.0% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$26,488
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,278
After Aid
Median Earnings
$67,804
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,278
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$67,804
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$68,077
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate67.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time81.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.3%

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
+$597k
+$130k
+$113k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$553k
+$86k
+$68k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$502k
+$35k
+$17k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
38
155%
Full Cost$26k/yr
54
18%
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 Return131%

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-15%
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

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,223
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$92,546
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
+$504k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,242
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$12,971
Earnings (4yr)
$81,587
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$174k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$61,300
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Median Debt
$17,625
Earnings (4yr)
$53,575
Natl Median: $57,640
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,333
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$14,986
Earnings (4yr)
$76,134
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,204
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,245
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,775
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,482
Natl Median: $66,697
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$94,846
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$261k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$90,894
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$245k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$13,703
Earnings (4yr)
$63,731
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$70,532
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$86,425
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$211k
Median Debt
$13,750
Earnings (4yr)
$94,129
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$270k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$17,353
Earnings (4yr)
$105,166
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$354k
Median Debt
$14,992
Earnings (4yr)
$63,764
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,627
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,678
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,282
Natl Median: $55,856
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Median Debt
$17,940
Earnings (4yr)
$44,848
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (4yr)
$61,603
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$13,625
Earnings (4yr)
$82,697
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Median Debt
$16,125
Earnings (4yr)
$112,454
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$409k
Median Debt
$16,743
Earnings (4yr)
$56,297
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Median Debt
$17,303
Earnings (4yr)
$59,990
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Median Debt
$16,702
Earnings (4yr)
$58,530
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Median Debt
$17,375
Earnings (4yr)
$47,149
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Median Debt
$15,128
Earnings (4yr)
$78,310
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$149k
Median Debt
$17,610
Earnings (4yr)
$42,868
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Median Debt
$16,359
Earnings (4yr)
$63,590
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
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
$18,250
Earnings (4yr)
$65,252
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,086
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,717
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Median Debt
$14,125
Earnings (4yr)
$65,510
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,207
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Median Debt
$20,897
Earnings (4yr)
$75,824
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Median Debt
$16,625
Earnings (4yr)
$65,775
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,260
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Median Debt
$15,250
Earnings (4yr)
$58,617
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,959
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$12,408
Earnings (4yr)
$71,691
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (4yr)
$71,323
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$102,104
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$330k
Median Debt
$24,186
Earnings (4yr)
$85,037
Natl Median: $62,582
Lifetime Value Added
+$200k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (4yr)
$38,639
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Median Debt
$14,087
Earnings (4yr)
$62,116
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$16,461
Earnings (4yr)
$61,895
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,212
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,083
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (4yr)
$42,993
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (4yr)
$68,440
Natl Median: $62,172
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
Median Debt
$16,200
Earnings (4yr)
$61,915
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,902
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,550
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Median Debt
$15,233
Earnings (4yr)
$150,102
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$693k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,689
Earnings (4yr)
$59,032
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$651
Median Debt
$14,387
Earnings (4yr)
$62,623
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,524
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,385
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$17,250
Earnings (4yr)
$59,056
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$457
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
+$7k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,728
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (4yr)
$70,207
Natl Median: $62,532
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,722
Natl Median: $44,055
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,384
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,593
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
PB-CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
$12,500
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 (5yr)
$115,426
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$333k
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
-$419k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$128,052
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
+$462k
Median Debt
$46,558
Earnings (4yr)
$131,094
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$488k
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
+$190k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,941
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Median Debt
$35,880
Earnings (4yr)
$95,402
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k
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
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$75,757
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$109,935
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$305k
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
$40,605
Earnings (4yr)
$62,210
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,709
Natl Median: $62,705
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
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
-$366k
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
-$25k
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
-$596k
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
$25,864
Earnings (4yr)
$108,093
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$288k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$30,500
Earnings (4yr)
$79,053
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$152,207
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$671k
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
-$152k
Median Debt
$29,503
Earnings (4yr)
$62,221
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$23,688
Earnings (4yr)
$94,452
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
+$169k
Median Debt
$24,072
Earnings (4yr)
$76,580
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$40,113
Earnings (4yr)
$91,778
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Systems Engineering
MastCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $144,565
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,834
Earnings (4yr)
$77,699
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$61,250
Earnings (4yr)
$157,979
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$477k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$96,298
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k

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.