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Texas State University
San Marcos, TX 34,547 Undergrads 62.4% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$26,348
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,438
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,906
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$16,438
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$56,906
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate62.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time84.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.9%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
89.5%
SAT Avg
1,093
SAT Reading
25th: 50055075th: 610
SAT Math
25th: 48053575th: 580
ACT Composite
25th: 192275th: 26
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
+$493k
+$96k
+$8k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$433k
+$37k
-$51k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$398k
+$1k
-$87k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
54
∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
Never
-86%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-91%
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 Return-66%
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-68%
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
$21,875
Earnings (5yr)
$72,251
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Agricultural Business and Management
BachCIP: 0101
Median Debt
$19,625
Earnings (5yr)
$57,287
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Agriculture, General
BachCIP: 0100
Median Debt
$21,469
Earnings (5yr)
$61,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,081
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$20,875
Earnings (5yr)
$45,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$43,181
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
$24,366
Earnings (5yr)
$73,629
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$22,365
Earnings (5yr)
$60,103
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,837
Earnings (5yr)
$53,861
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$18,543
Earnings (5yr)
$68,669
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
$20,012
Earnings (5yr)
$71,595
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
BachCIP: 0403
Median Debt
$20,792
Earnings (5yr)
$57,160
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (2yr)
$59,873
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,381
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$18,524
Earnings (5yr)
$66,703
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$88,254
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$22,842
Earnings (5yr)
$113,108
Lifetime Value Added
+$382k
Construction Engineering Technologies
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$96,457
Lifetime Value Added
+$258k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,099
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,412
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,197
Lifetime Value Added
+$0
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$40,459
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (2yr)
$36,674
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$24,987
Earnings (5yr)
$104,885
Lifetime Value Added
+$321k
Engineering Technology, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,769
Earnings (5yr)
$48,448
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies
BachCIP: 1904
Median Debt
$19,349
Earnings (5yr)
$50,122
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$25,239
Earnings (5yr)
$44,971
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$21,291
Earnings (5yr)
$80,518
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$24,742
Earnings (5yr)
$39,521
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1905
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,933
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$20,123
Earnings (5yr)
$54,724
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$24,430
Earnings (5yr)
$61,400
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,084
Earnings (5yr)
$57,963
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$53,755
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$20,985
Earnings (5yr)
$47,829
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
$24,483
Earnings (5yr)
$88,735
Lifetime Value Added
+$200k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$21,482
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$264k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$16,869
Earnings (5yr)
$40,380
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$22,687
Earnings (5yr)
$57,785
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Manufacturing Engineering
BachCIP: 1436
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (5yr)
$86,375
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,788
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$61,642
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
BachCIP: 2605
Median Debt
$23,115
Earnings (5yr)
$62,154
Lifetime Value Added
-$339
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$21,635
Earnings (5yr)
$53,495
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$51,050
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$23,200
Earnings (5yr)
$50,255
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Natural Resources Management and Policy
BachCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
BachCIP: 3103
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,540
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$101,450
Lifetime Value Added
+$295k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,231
Earnings (5yr)
$49,969
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Public Administration
BachCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$24,141
Earnings (5yr)
$52,103
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$23,375
Earnings (5yr)
$54,371
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$19,536
Earnings (5yr)
$57,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$20,964
Earnings (5yr)
$46,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$73,210
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$20,045
Earnings (5yr)
$56,889
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (5yr)
$50,661
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,787
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,360
Earnings (5yr)
$50,392
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations
BachCIP: 5219
Median Debt
$22,014
Earnings (5yr)
$58,224
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Zoology/Animal Biology
BachCIP: 2607
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,662
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$17,425
Earnings (5yr)
$88,423
Lifetime Value Added
+$310k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$30,370
Earnings (5yr)
$60,668
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$33,251
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,134
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$23,092
Earnings (5yr)
$102,310
Lifetime Value Added
+$429k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$40,940
Earnings (5yr)
$56,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$66,385
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$38,332
Earnings (5yr)
$70,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$86,129
Lifetime Value Added
+$335k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,264
Lifetime Value Added
+$499
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
MastCIP: 2613
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,345
Lifetime Value Added
+$66k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$26,300
Earnings (5yr)
$61,626
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
MastCIP: 1305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,595
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,133
Lifetime Value Added
-$194k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$34,907
Earnings (5yr)
$78,605
Lifetime Value Added
+$225k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$30,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,729
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$29,575
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
MastCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
International/Global Studies
MastCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Legal Support Services
MastCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,742
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
MastCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,771
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$33,399
Earnings (5yr)
$54,561
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
MastCIP: 3103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,162
Lifetime Value Added
-$455
Political Science and Government
MastCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,058
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$22,440
Earnings (5yr)
$81,234
Lifetime Value Added
+$248k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$35,780
Earnings (5yr)
$118,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$571k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$28,935
Earnings (5yr)
$56,811
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Research and Experimental Psychology
MastCIP: 4227
Median Debt
$32,780
Earnings (2yr)
$34,704
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$31,917
Earnings (5yr)
$63,936
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$30,722
Earnings (5yr)
$58,641
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$36,380
Earnings (5yr)
$49,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$30,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,436
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$30,824
Earnings (5yr)
$54,287
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$25,473
Earnings (5yr)
$66,776
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Graduate Certificates
Legal Support Services
Gr-CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
$33,135
Earnings (5yr)
$60,462
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
Doctoral Degrees
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$44,977
Earnings (5yr)
$92,541
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k
Professional Degrees
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
ProfCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$56,406
Earnings (5yr)
$85,352
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
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.