College ROI

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South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD 9,198 Undergrads 58.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$24,636
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,841
After Aid
Median Earnings
$63,042
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,841
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$63,042
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$55,070
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate58.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.9
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients18.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
98.3%
SAT Avg
1,120
SAT Reading
25th: 53054075th: 610
SAT Math
25th: 53056075th: 630
ACT Composite
25th: 192275th: 25

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
+$560k
+$93k
+$76k
Median Cost$20k/yr
+$489k
+$22k
+$4k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$471k
+$4k
-$13k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$20k/yr
61
6%
Full Cost$25k/yr
Never
-15%
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 Return71%

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-30%
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

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,104
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Agriculture, General
AssocCIP: 0100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,218
Natl Median: $45,683
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
AssocCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,913
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,438
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Sociology
AssocCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,144
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$67,425
Natl Median: $66,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,322
Natl Median: $84,624
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$67,746
Natl Median: $71,278
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,588
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,529
Natl Median: $54,152
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$61,132
Natl Median: $53,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,736
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$21,349
Earnings (4yr)
$53,784
Natl Median: $49,634
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $57,640
Lifetime Value Added
-$266k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,698
Natl Median: $58,494
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,978
Natl Median: $66,914
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,875
Earnings (4yr)
$54,446
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Biotechnology
BachCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,097
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,560
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$82,486
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$73,360
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,345
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$83,815
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
$21,185
Earnings (4yr)
$93,195
Natl Median: $93,843
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,630
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,646
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,432
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$103,018
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$310k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,335
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Median Debt
$24,312
Earnings (4yr)
$57,725
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,852
Earnings (4yr)
$56,132
Natl Median: $53,262
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,236
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$280k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,873
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$26,062
Earnings (4yr)
$46,502
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Median Debt
$24,769
Earnings (4yr)
$40,969
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Median Debt
$22,562
Earnings (4yr)
$46,487
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,114
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,387
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,024
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,162
Earnings (4yr)
$60,081
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (4yr)
$67,059
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$87,704
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,119
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,608
Natl Median: $62,582
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,420
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,319
Natl Median: $50,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$122,169
Natl Median: $116,539
Lifetime Value Added
+$455k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
$22,125
Earnings (4yr)
$78,494
Natl Median: $56,567
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$70,727
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,210
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,499
Earnings (4yr)
$67,607
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$77,932
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,986
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$51,910
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,068
Earnings (4yr)
$56,400
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,313
Earnings (4yr)
$43,934
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$50,076
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (4yr)
$50,623
Natl Median: $45,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,410
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Animal Sciences
MastCIP: 0109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,394
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,139
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,289
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$67,660
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Median Debt
$40,952
Earnings (4yr)
$57,278
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,269
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,383
Natl Median: $66,523
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
MastCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,034
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,750
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Plant Sciences
MastCIP: 0111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,814
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$46,000
Earnings (4yr)
$109,395
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$286k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
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
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,816
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,221
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$241k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Natl Median: $59,299
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,010
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Statistics
Gr-CertCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,297
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Animal Sciences
DocCIP: 0109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,778
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,729
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,983
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,507
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,500
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Plant Sciences
DocCIP: 0111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,502
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
DocCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,618
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,306
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$132,655
Natl Median: $138,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$264k
Median Debt
$53,543
Earnings (4yr)
$117,505
Natl Median: $133,099
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k

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.