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University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA 33,787 Undergrads 90.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$36,325
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,750
After Aid
Median Earnings
$84,943
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$11,750
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$84,943
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate90.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients32.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.7%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
24.5%
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
+$703k
+$306k
+$218k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$661k
+$264k
+$176k
Full Cost$36k/yr
+$572k
+$176k
+$88k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
31
417%
Full Cost$36k/yr
40
67%
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 Return220%
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 Return7%
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
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
BachCIP: 1402
Median Debt
$20,008
Earnings (5yr)
$107,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$356k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (5yr)
$53,445
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
$15,249
Earnings (5yr)
$79,708
Lifetime Value Added
+$149k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$17,359
Earnings (5yr)
$76,922
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$17,450
Earnings (5yr)
$69,381
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology
BachCIP: 2611
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$138,331
Lifetime Value Added
+$586k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$118,528
Lifetime Value Added
+$439k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$97,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$286k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$16,050
Earnings (5yr)
$83,272
Lifetime Value Added
+$176k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$16,400
Earnings (5yr)
$91,984
Lifetime Value Added
+$241k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
BachCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,237
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Cognitive Science
BachCIP: 3025
Median Debt
$17,427
Earnings (5yr)
$85,159
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$13,193
Earnings (5yr)
$65,361
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$18,414
Earnings (5yr)
$154,498
Lifetime Value Added
+$705k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$16,166
Earnings (5yr)
$160,463
Lifetime Value Added
+$749k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$14,458
Earnings (5yr)
$39,424
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
BachCIP: 2613
Median Debt
$18,367
Earnings (5yr)
$55,518
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$14,667
Earnings (5yr)
$84,118
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$120,436
Lifetime Value Added
+$454k
Engineering, Other
BachCIP: 1499
Median Debt
$18,954
Earnings (5yr)
$94,292
Lifetime Value Added
+$259k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$13,555
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$268k
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other
BachCIP: 2399
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,896
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$24,237
Earnings (5yr)
$59,797
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$14,833
Earnings (5yr)
$45,044
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$16,756
Earnings (5yr)
$60,566
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (5yr)
$73,765
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
$14,497
Earnings (5yr)
$52,751
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$15,127
Earnings (5yr)
$86,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$16,250
Earnings (5yr)
$70,456
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$99,554
Lifetime Value Added
+$298k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,134
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$74,028
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,515
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$84,411
Lifetime Value Added
+$185k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,947
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$15,446
Earnings (5yr)
$56,911
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,103
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
$14,814
Earnings (5yr)
$70,223
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$60,237
Lifetime Value Added
+$1k
Urban Studies/Affairs
BachCIP: 4512
Median Debt
$15,499
Earnings (5yr)
$71,507
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
BachCIP: 5001
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,800
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Visual and Performing Arts, Other
BachCIP: 5099
Median Debt
$19,968
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$268k
Master's Degrees
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,482
Earnings (5yr)
$70,882
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
MastCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$37,282
Earnings (5yr)
$141,614
Lifetime Value Added
+$772k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$92,221
Earnings (5yr)
$156,032
Lifetime Value Added
+$894k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,139
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$100,777
Lifetime Value Added
+$424k
Computer Engineering
MastCIP: 1409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$206,109
Lifetime Value Added
+$1317k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$25,903
Earnings (5yr)
$301,159
Lifetime Value Added
+$2065k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
MastCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$26,372
Lifetime Value Added
-$252k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
MastCIP: 2613
Median Debt
$34,436
Earnings (5yr)
$67,025
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$31,045
Earnings (5yr)
$76,864
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$34,311
Earnings (5yr)
$141,515
Lifetime Value Added
+$771k
Engineering, Other
MastCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$113,668
Lifetime Value Added
+$594k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (2yr)
$97,959
Lifetime Value Added
+$452k
International Relations and National Security Studies
MastCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$44,160
Earnings (5yr)
$97,237
Lifetime Value Added
+$394k
Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies
MastCIP: 5114
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$132,434
Lifetime Value Added
+$695k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
MastCIP: 5001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,918
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Doctoral Degrees
Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$110,617
Lifetime Value Added
+$331k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
DocCIP: 1405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$135,080
Lifetime Value Added
+$508k
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$97,018
Lifetime Value Added
+$232k
Economics
DocCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$162,229
Lifetime Value Added
+$703k
Education, General
DocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$120,409
Lifetime Value Added
+$402k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
DocCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,270
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Medicine
DocCIP: 5112
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$129,999
Lifetime Value Added
+$471k
Physics
DocCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$153,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$638k
Political Science and Government
DocCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$72,762
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
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.