College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TX 11,026 Undergrads 81.7% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$76,604
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$36,660
After Aid
Median Earnings
$76,188
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$36,660
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$76,188
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$68,424
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate81.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.9
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients13.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
44.5%
SAT Avg
1,298
SAT Reading
25th: 58062075th: 680
SAT Math
25th: 56062075th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 262975th: 31

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
+$661k
+$194k
+$177k
Median Cost$37k/yr
+$529k
+$62k
+$45k
Full Cost$77k/yr
+$385k
-$81k
-$99k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
Median Cost$37k/yr
47
34%
Full Cost$77k/yr
Never
-36%
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 Return23%

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-58%
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: $43,930
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,097
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,863
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,906
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,679
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
CertCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,318
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,020
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$17,778
Earnings (4yr)
$101,938
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$241k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,140
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,937
Earnings (4yr)
$63,572
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Median Debt
$24,251
Earnings (4yr)
$106,765
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$278k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$63,531
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$69,730
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$68,666
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$121,734
Natl Median: $78,929
Lifetime Value Added
+$392k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,791
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,439
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$347k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,313
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$42,483
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$89,466
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,944
Earnings (4yr)
$93,753
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$179k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,885
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$111,304
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$313k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$317k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$220k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,210
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,738
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Median Debt
$20,454
Earnings (4yr)
$51,292
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$114,822
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$339k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$97,148
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,572
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$70,026
Natl Median: $52,041
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
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
Median Debt
$22,062
Earnings (4yr)
$75,419
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,375
Earnings (4yr)
$65,356
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Median Debt
$23,668
Earnings (4yr)
$71,186
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$61,636
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Real Estate
BachCIP: 5215
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$103,547
Natl Median: $84,821
Lifetime Value Added
+$254k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$89,690
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$61,190
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$259k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,536
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,187
Earnings (4yr)
$62,392
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$66,108
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,287
Earnings (4yr)
$60,125
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Median Debt
$24,989
Earnings (4yr)
$61,004
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,783
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,346
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$104,294
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$151,190
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$617k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$34,432
Earnings (4yr)
$71,266
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,906
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Median Debt
$28,831
Earnings (4yr)
$76,034
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
MastCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,563
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
-$452k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$135,393
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
+$528k
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,487
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,149
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,586
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,885
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$295k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$167,424
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$729k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,216
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,329
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,221
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$303k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$72,411
Earnings (4yr)
$59,368
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,640
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,233
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,812
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: $83,031
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,831
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
DocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
DocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,592
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$82,000
Earnings (4yr)
$200,329
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$700k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,692
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,794
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,168
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,982
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.