College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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University of Alabama in Huntsville

Huntsville, AL 6,650 Undergrads 59.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$27,098
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,880
After Aid
Median Earnings
$61,767
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,880
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$61,767
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate59.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients22.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time84.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
74.3%
SAT Avg
1,321
SAT Reading
25th: 59564075th: 700
SAT Math
25th: 60065575th: 740
ACT Composite
25th: 252875th: 31

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
+$531k
+$134k
+$46k
Median Cost$20k/yr
+$459k
+$63k
-$25k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$433k
+$37k
-$51k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
39
Median Cost$20k/yr
Never
-35%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-53%
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 Return2%

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-51%
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
$21,034
Earnings (5yr)
$75,678
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,736
Earnings (5yr)
$56,905
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,307
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$19,049
Earnings (2yr)
$62,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,715
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$81,623
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (2yr)
$59,846
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$22,125
Earnings (5yr)
$94,540
Lifetime Value Added
+$231k
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
$27,997
Earnings (2yr)
$55,547
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$20,088
Earnings (5yr)
$83,727
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$15,250
Earnings (2yr)
$31,839
Lifetime Value Added
-$247k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$22,675
Earnings (5yr)
$90,362
Lifetime Value Added
+$200k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$20,911
Earnings (5yr)
$70,913
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,945
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (5yr)
$95,568
Lifetime Value Added
+$365k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$86,867
Lifetime Value Added
+$336k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (5yr)
$113,887
Lifetime Value Added
+$522k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,240
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k

Doctoral Degrees

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
DocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$34,361
Earnings (2yr)
$86,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k

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.