College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX 21,005 Undergrads 52.1% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$19,836
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,403
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,771
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$9,403
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$58,771
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$50,923
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate52.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients61.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time72.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS63.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
99.9%
SAT Avg
962
SAT Reading
25th: 450-75th: 550
SAT Math
25th: 410-75th: 530
ACT Composite
25th: 17-75th: 22

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
+$526k
+$59k
+$41k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$492k
+$25k
+$8k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$454k
-$12k
-$30k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
40
∞
Median Cost$9k/yr
57
22%
Full Cost$20k/yr
Never
-42%
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 Return27%

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-37%
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: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$57,389
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$23,099
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$301k
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$33,062
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Median Debt
$16,877
Earnings (4yr)
$51,356
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$17,895
Earnings (4yr)
$49,396
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Median Debt
$16,656
Earnings (4yr)
$51,506
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,065
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,581
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$16,341
Earnings (4yr)
$75,882
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$141k
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,491
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,451
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Median Debt
$19,869
Earnings (4yr)
$103,286
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$350k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$47,681
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,823
Earnings (4yr)
$94,122
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$280k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (4yr)
$45,184
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,898
Earnings (4yr)
$59,668
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$36,854
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,098
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$50,510
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Median Debt
$16,104
Earnings (4yr)
$82,391
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,502
Earnings (4yr)
$39,907
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Median Debt
$18,951
Earnings (4yr)
$62,136
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,068
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$18,125
Earnings (4yr)
$57,392
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Median Debt
$16,378
Earnings (4yr)
$88,393
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
Median Debt
$20,490
Earnings (4yr)
$89,131
Natl Median: $92,722
Lifetime Value Added
+$242k
Median Debt
$18,938
Earnings (4yr)
$53,992
Natl Median: $62,582
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,850
Earnings (4yr)
$56,486
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$14,894
Earnings (4yr)
$60,172
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
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
$20,663
Earnings (4yr)
$54,069
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$17,875
Earnings (4yr)
$42,190
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,665
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Median Debt
$20,200
Earnings (4yr)
$49,558
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$36,373
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Median Debt
$18,700
Earnings (4yr)
$89,077
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$241k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,778
Earnings (4yr)
$47,152
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Median Debt
$24,060
Earnings (4yr)
$42,459
Natl Median: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$16,236
Earnings (4yr)
$53,995
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$22,328
Earnings (4yr)
$35,325
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$19,875
Earnings (4yr)
$51,063
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$16,634
Earnings (4yr)
$81,639
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Area Studies
MastCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,936
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,371
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,722
Earnings (4yr)
$82,356
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,526
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,776
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,718
Earnings (4yr)
$121,882
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
+$414k
Median Debt
$22,543
Earnings (4yr)
$100,391
Natl Median: $112,166
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Median Debt
$38,965
Earnings (4yr)
$62,807
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Median Debt
$32,424
Earnings (4yr)
$67,557
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$278k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,629
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$99,705
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
$38,201
Earnings (4yr)
$98,664
Natl Median: $100,487
Lifetime Value Added
+$211k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,461
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $119,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,627
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $122,873
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,282
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)
$107,441
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$288k
Median Debt
$48,143
Earnings (4yr)
$57,668
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$77,302
Natl Median: $75,122
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Natural Sciences
MastCIP: 3018
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,321
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$72,517
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$121,262
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$408k
Median Debt
$33,701
Earnings (4yr)
$69,580
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,216
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$37,705
Earnings (4yr)
$59,922
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,434
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,824
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,800
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Systems Engineering
MastCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$113,173
Natl Median: $144,565
Lifetime Value Added
+$338k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,848
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k

Graduate Certificates

Biology, General
Gr-CertCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,581
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,138
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,570
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,168
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,959
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
Gr-CertCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,957
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
Gr-CertCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,756
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Homeland Security
Gr-CertCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,606
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,899
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
Gr-CertCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,083
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Administration
Gr-CertCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,022
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,611
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Systems Engineering
Gr-CertCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $148,730
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,178
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,848
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
DocCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
DocCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $178,476
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: $107,112
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,039
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,669
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: $130,845
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,070
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,640
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$126,504
Natl Median: $133,752
Lifetime Value Added
+$294k
Median Debt
$44,877
Earnings (4yr)
$87,651
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,692
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.