College ROI

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San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 27,601 Undergrads 77.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$28,920
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,241
After Aid
Median Earnings
$87,383
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,241
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$87,383
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$83,493
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate77.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)22.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients37.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time82.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.2%

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
+$738k
+$268k
+$251k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$686k
+$216k
+$200k
Full Cost$29k/yr
+$634k
+$164k
+$147k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
30
390%
Full Cost$29k/yr
35
141%
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 Return358%

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 Return48%

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 →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$94,283
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$252k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$138,550
Natl Median: $96,510
Lifetime Value Added
+$580k
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Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,495
Natl Median: $83,243
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
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Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$87,740
Natl Median: $85,233
Lifetime Value Added
+$203k
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Behavioral Sciences
BachCIP: 3017
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$78,753
Natl Median: $48,673
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$92,165
Natl Median: $64,145
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
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Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$86,191
Natl Median: $57,486
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$116,274
Natl Median: $94,103
Lifetime Value Added
+$416k
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Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$78,333
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$113,891
Natl Median: $96,533
Lifetime Value Added
+$398k
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Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$14,308
Earnings (5yr)
$109,028
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$362k
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Median Debt
$9,990
Earnings (5yr)
$85,527
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,409
Natl Median: $58,406
Lifetime Value Added
-$240k
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Median Debt
$10,000
Earnings (5yr)
$159,053
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$731k
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Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$148,572
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$654k
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Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (5yr)
$71,160
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
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Median Debt
$11,593
Earnings (5yr)
$84,869
Natl Median: $51,273
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,887
Natl Median: $55,840
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
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Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,429
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$138,397
Natl Median: $98,505
Lifetime Value Added
+$579k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,740
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,633
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$102,696
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$315k
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Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,473
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
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History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Natl Median: $49,113
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,128
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,400
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$100,683
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$299k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$119,007
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$436k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$103,975
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$324k
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Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,046
Natl Median: $53,579
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,304
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$117,195
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$423k
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Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$101,373
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$305k
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Median Debt
$14,500
Earnings (5yr)
$126,078
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$488k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,835
Natl Median: $65,502
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$81,164
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
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Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,061
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,624
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,535
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,726
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
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Psychology, Other
BachCIP: 4299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $49,609
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
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Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$14,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,759
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$218k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,115
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
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Median Debt
$14,725
Earnings (5yr)
$157,894
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$722k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,173
Natl Median: $43,689
Lifetime Value Added
-$242k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$76,060
Natl Median: $50,754
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
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Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$12,750
Earnings (5yr)
$72,702
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$82,596
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$68,778
Natl Median: $92,202
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Natl Median: $108,578
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$149,643
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$620k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$62,012
Natl Median: $78,175
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
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Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$77,401
Natl Median: $95,102
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$81,184
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
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Median Debt
$27,992
Earnings (5yr)
$90,509
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$197,757
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
+$1025k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$113,267
Natl Median: $69,438
Lifetime Value Added
+$312k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$172,382
Natl Median: $130,769
Lifetime Value Added
+$812k
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History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,808
Natl Median: $49,520
Lifetime Value Added
-$257k
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Median Debt
$31,123
Earnings (5yr)
$67,850
Natl Median: $56,301
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
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Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$87,201
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,860
Natl Median: $71,121
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
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Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$108,099
Natl Median: $62,641
Lifetime Value Added
+$267k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,590
Natl Median: $60,071
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$84,417
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
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Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$145,837
Natl Median: $114,810
Lifetime Value Added
+$588k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,292
Natl Median: $58,007
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
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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.