College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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United States University

San Diego, CA 167 Undergrads 8.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$28,358
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,557
After Aid
Median Earnings
$80,980
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$21,557
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$80,980
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate8.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients12.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time45.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS58.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$674k
+$277k
+$189k
Median Cost$22k/yr
+$596k
+$200k
+$112k
Full Cost$28k/yr
+$572k
+$175k
+$87k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$22k/yr
36
144%
Full Cost$28k/yr
39
86%
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 Return257%

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 Return21%
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

Certificates

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
CertCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,423
Lifetime Value Added
+$266k

Bachelor's Degrees

Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,346
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$110,580
Lifetime Value Added
+$345k

Master's Degrees

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$46,254
Earnings (5yr)
$143,024
Lifetime Value Added
+$766k

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.