College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Seattle University

Seattle, WA 4,117 Undergrads 76.6% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$68,633
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$34,802
After Aid
Median Earnings
$75,272
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$34,802
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$75,272
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate76.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients21.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
76.0%
SAT Avg
1,266
SAT Reading
25th: 57060575th: 670
SAT Math
25th: 56062075th: 680
ACT Composite
25th: 232875th: 30

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
+$632k
+$235k
+$147k
Median Cost$35k/yr
+$507k
+$110k
+$22k
Full Cost$69k/yr
+$385k
-$12k
-$100k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
30
Median Cost$35k/yr
53
18%
Full Cost$69k/yr
Never
-40%
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 Return16%

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-59%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$102,504
Lifetime Value Added
+$237k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$24,702
Earnings (5yr)
$106,567
Lifetime Value Added
+$267k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,417
Earnings (5yr)
$62,523
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$77,071
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$108,064
Lifetime Value Added
+$279k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$70,740
Lifetime Value Added
-$751
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$21,530
Earnings (5yr)
$132,713
Lifetime Value Added
+$461k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$19,702
Earnings (5yr)
$64,745
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$23,084
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$233k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,691
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$20,465
Earnings (5yr)
$102,211
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$65,112
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$23,800
Earnings (5yr)
$28,355
Lifetime Value Added
-$347k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$83,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,739
Lifetime Value Added
-$347k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$15,250
Earnings (5yr)
$54,308
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$372k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,187
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$84,486
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,875
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$79,251
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$22,281
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$320k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$22,072
Earnings (5yr)
$101,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$49,075
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$64,112
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,887
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$23,593
Earnings (5yr)
$91,519
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$31,966
Lifetime Value Added
-$316k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$23,319
Earnings (5yr)
$47,719
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$109,604
Lifetime Value Added
+$458k
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management
MastCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$126,253
Lifetime Value Added
+$600k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$90,462
Lifetime Value Added
+$294k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$63,958
Earnings (2yr)
$67,101
Lifetime Value Added
+$128k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (2yr)
$51,106
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$39,556
Earnings (5yr)
$59,964
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,747
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries
MastCIP: 3907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$55,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,986
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$50,683
Earnings (5yr)
$87,989
Lifetime Value Added
+$272k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (5yr)
$82,379
Lifetime Value Added
+$224k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$33,325
Earnings (5yr)
$75,090
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language
MastCIP: 1314
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,134
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Theological and Ministerial Studies
MastCIP: 3906
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k

Doctoral Degrees

Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$91,744
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$144,542
Earnings (5yr)
$96,708
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k

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.