College ROI

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University of Alabama in Huntsville

Huntsville, AL 6,591 Undergrads 60.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$32,089
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,758
After Aid
Median Earnings
$85,423
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,758
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$85,423
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$72,098
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate60.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)22.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients27.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time86.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
68.6%
SAT Avg
1,319
SAT Reading
25th: 60065075th: 690
SAT Math
25th: 61066075th: 720
ACT Composite
25th: 242875th: 31

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
+$723k
+$253k
+$237k
Median Cost$23k/yr
+$641k
+$171k
+$155k
Full Cost$32k/yr
+$608k
+$137k
+$121k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
∞
Median Cost$23k/yr
33
189%
Full Cost$32k/yr
37
105%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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 Return289%

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 Return26%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,242
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$23,125
Earnings (4yr)
$71,245
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
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Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$87,339
Natl Median: $98,207
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
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Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$45,992
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
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Median Debt
$23,113
Earnings (4yr)
$62,872
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,508
Earnings (4yr)
$90,681
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$208k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$23,210
Earnings (4yr)
$78,858
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,124
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
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Median Debt
$19,311
Earnings (4yr)
$95,076
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$241k
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Median Debt
$22,539
Earnings (4yr)
$105,920
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$324k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,368
Earnings (4yr)
$100,296
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$281k
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Engineering, Other
BachCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,989
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,563
Earnings (5yr)
$48,510
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
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Median Debt
$23,104
Earnings (4yr)
$89,472
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$198k
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Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,321
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
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History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$95,153
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$242k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$78,319
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
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Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,015
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,979
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
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Median Debt
$22,125
Earnings (4yr)
$95,341
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$243k
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Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,096
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$22,677
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,427
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$75,430
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$19,185
Earnings (4yr)
$49,270
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
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Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$42,922
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
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Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $104,114
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $146,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $122,434
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,482
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,766
Earnings (4yr)
$102,853
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$224k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,468
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$134,445
Natl Median: $121,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$499k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$86,867
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
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Engineering, Other
MastCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,974
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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$130,811
Natl Median: $119,184
Lifetime Value Added
+$445k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,092
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$118,475
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$361k
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Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$34,834
Earnings (4yr)
$106,647
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$257k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,640
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,268
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
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Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$100,399
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$306k
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Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,729
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $102,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
DocCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $157,305
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,070
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,341
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,994
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$132,900
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k
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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.