College ROI

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The Catholic University of America

Washington, DC 3,154 Undergrads 74.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$75,481
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$29,561
After Aid
Median Earnings
$79,320
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$29,561
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$79,320
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$73,250
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate74.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients18.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS84.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
82.8%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$685k
+$218k
+$201k
Median Cost$30k/yr
+$579k
+$112k
+$94k
Full Cost$75k/yr
+$413k
-$53k
-$71k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$30k/yr
39
89%
Full Cost$75k/yr
Never
-26%
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 Return42%

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-52%
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: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,422
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$25,725
Earnings (4yr)
$114,909
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$365k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$26,712
Earnings (4yr)
$69,838
Natl Median: $66,914
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$262k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$81,519
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$87,907
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$24,625
Earnings (4yr)
$93,821
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,073
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$91,962
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$71,015
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,898
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Median Debt
$24,620
Earnings (4yr)
$98,856
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$243k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,980
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,221
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$85,029
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$90,355
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$179k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$23,546
Earnings (4yr)
$46,123
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$26,759
Earnings (4yr)
$49,378
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,917
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,846
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Median Debt
$26,976
Earnings (4yr)
$96,949
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,638
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,993
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,185
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,324
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,571
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biotechnology
MastCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,682
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$34,250
Earnings (4yr)
$103,834
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$111,261
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$265k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,991
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Non-Professional Legal Studies
MastCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,153
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
MastCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$114,102
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$309k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,008
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,318
Natl Median: $54,640
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,812
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: $131,848
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
DocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $87,373
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $157,305
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,070
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,328
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,341
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
DocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,592
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
DocCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,449
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
DocCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,153
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,908
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Natl Median: $98,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
DocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$82,608
Natl Median: $81,301
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,689
Natl Median: $89,689
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Architecture
ProfCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$78,902
Natl Median: $74,323
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$111,378
Natl Median: $214,836
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $102,323
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$147,964
Earnings (4yr)
$112,809
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$76,685
Natl Median: $62,261
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Social Work
ProfCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$71,981
Earnings (4yr)
$68,031
Natl Median: $64,950
Lifetime Value Added
-$250k

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.