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Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA 5,166 Undergrads 69.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$24,648
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,885
After Aid
Median Earnings
$65,997
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$12,885
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$65,997
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate69.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
93.4%
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
+$583k
+$116k
+$99k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$537k
+$70k
+$52k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$494k
+$28k
+$10k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
32
∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
41
113%
Full Cost$25k/yr
57
11%
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 Return119%
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-17%
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 (4yr)
$62,674
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,345
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$75,887
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$128k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$17,877
Earnings (4yr)
$68,833
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$20,110
Earnings (4yr)
$106,181
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$359k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,892
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,622
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$83,668
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$188k
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$17,128
Earnings (4yr)
$52,842
Natl Median: $49,113
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$112,757
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$409k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,375
Earnings (4yr)
$59,418
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
+$275
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$19,187
Earnings (4yr)
$64,116
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$19,200
Earnings (4yr)
$46,022
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,281
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,819
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (4yr)
$52,672
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$16,862
Earnings (4yr)
$59,444
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$485
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$17,924
Earnings (4yr)
$64,913
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,533
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$15,125
Earnings (4yr)
$69,077
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$19,424
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$65,009
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$16,351
Earnings (4yr)
$57,335
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$143,886
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$644k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$17,250
Earnings (4yr)
$53,489
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,581
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$20,174
Earnings (4yr)
$67,351
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Master's Degrees
Agricultural Business and Management
MastCIP: 0101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,332
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$36,736
Earnings (4yr)
$127,133
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$453k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$87,304
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Engineering Science
MastCIP: 1413
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
MastCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,486
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Historic Preservation and Conservation
MastCIP: 3012
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,496
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$144,371
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$602k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
MastCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$32,570
Earnings (4yr)
$63,781
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Graduate Certificates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Gr-CertCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$135,372
Natl Median: $126,507
Lifetime Value Added
+$695k
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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.