College ROI

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San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 27,601 Undergrads 77.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$26,593
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,760
After Aid
Median Earnings
$89,614
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,760
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$89,614
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$78,988
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate77.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients35.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time82.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
84.6%
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
+$764k
+$297k
+$279k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$714k
+$247k
+$230k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$668k
+$201k
+$184k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
29
464%
Full Cost$27k/yr
33
192%
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 Return457%

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 Return81%
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
-
Earnings (5yr)
$96,679
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$269k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$101,217
Natl Median: $96,090
Lifetime Value Added
+$303k
Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,195
Natl Median: $83,243
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Behavioral Sciences
BachCIP: 3017
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,673
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,095
Natl Median: $57,392
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,358
Natl Median: $93,533
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,407
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$115,218
Natl Median: $96,798
Lifetime Value Added
+$408k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$106,415
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$342k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,114
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$81,021
Natl Median: $58,587
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$143,080
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$613k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$160,714
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$743k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,738
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$93,917
Natl Median: $51,276
Lifetime Value Added
+$249k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,367
Natl Median: $55,856
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$119,589
Natl Median: $98,100
Lifetime Value Added
+$440k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,604
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$98,041
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$279k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,424
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,244
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,404
Natl Median: $49,535
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,022
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,174
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$108,084
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$354k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$61,020
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$62,489
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,181
Natl Median: $53,579
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,764
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$104,129
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$325k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,379
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$215k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$112,360
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$386k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,835
Natl Median: $64,510
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,305
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$169k
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,198
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,202
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,246
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Psychology, Other
BachCIP: 4299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,794
Natl Median: $52,965
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,904
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,848
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$155,843
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$707k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,173
Natl Median: $44,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$240k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,522
Natl Median: $50,754
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,771
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,505
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$66k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$68,778
Natl Median: $92,584
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Natl Median: $105,240
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$151,760
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$638k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,624
Natl Median: $78,175
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$114,115
Natl Median: $95,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$319k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$66,077
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$99,007
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$189k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$125,015
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
+$476k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$111,358
Natl Median: $69,767
Lifetime Value Added
+$295k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$116,237
Natl Median: $127,494
Lifetime Value Added
+$337k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,808
Natl Median: $52,245
Lifetime Value Added
-$255k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,724
Natl Median: $56,301
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,170
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,920
Natl Median: $71,091
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$102,199
Natl Median: $62,482
Lifetime Value Added
+$217k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,058
Natl Median: $59,671
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,798
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $114,810
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$81,942
Natl Median: $58,528
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k

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.