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Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA 5,374 Undergrads 69.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$24,739
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,801
After Aid
Median Earnings
$65,986
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$13,801
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$65,986
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate69.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients35.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time87.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
94.7%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
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
+$563k
+$166k
+$79k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$513k
+$117k
+$29k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$474k
+$77k
-$10k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
47
58%
Full Cost$25k/yr
Never
-12%
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 Return77%
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-29%
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
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$17,614
Earnings (2yr)
$28,381
Lifetime Value Added
-$256k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$73,611
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (5yr)
$80,187
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$17,877
Earnings (5yr)
$61,775
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$20,110
Earnings (5yr)
$147,502
Lifetime Value Added
+$646k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,047
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,622
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$100,594
Lifetime Value Added
+$298k
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$17,128
Earnings (5yr)
$53,496
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,713
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,375
Earnings (5yr)
$55,586
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$19,187
Earnings (5yr)
$58,913
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$19,200
Earnings (5yr)
$39,954
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,281
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$20,174
Earnings (5yr)
$61,799
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,839
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$57,628
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$16,862
Earnings (5yr)
$58,913
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$17,924
Earnings (5yr)
$63,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$15,125
Earnings (5yr)
$62,755
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (2yr)
$31,839
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$16,351
Earnings (5yr)
$54,617
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$131,431
Lifetime Value Added
+$527k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$17,250
Earnings (5yr)
$58,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,652
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$36,736
Earnings (5yr)
$98,923
Lifetime Value Added
+$405k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,856
Lifetime Value Added
+$241k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$139,432
Lifetime Value Added
+$750k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$32,570
Earnings (5yr)
$68,590
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Graduate Certificates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Gr-CertCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$135,372
Lifetime Value Added
+$910k
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.