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University of Chicago
Chicago, IL 7,540 Undergrads 96.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$86,856
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,967
After Aid
Median Earnings
$91,885
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$18,967
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$91,885
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate96.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients13.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time100.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS86.9%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
4.8%
SAT Avg
1,554
SAT Reading
25th: 74076075th: 770
SAT Math
25th: 77078575th: 800
ACT Composite
25th: 343475th: 35
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
+$754k
+$357k
+$269k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$686k
+$289k
+$201k
Full Cost$87k/yr
+$441k
+$45k
-$43k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
31
295%
Full Cost$87k/yr
Never
-14%
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 Return65%
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-46%
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
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,099
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,610
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
BachCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Lifetime Value Added
-$234k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$227,147
Lifetime Value Added
+$1207k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$13,395
Earnings (5yr)
$157,181
Lifetime Value Added
+$699k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,643
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,082
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$98,430
Lifetime Value Added
+$264k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$270k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$146,679
Lifetime Value Added
+$621k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$22,641
Earnings (5yr)
$72,246
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,650
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$88,531
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,596
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Public Policy Analysis
BachCIP: 4405
Median Debt
$17,492
Earnings (5yr)
$99,986
Lifetime Value Added
+$275k
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$84,957
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,432
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$147,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$628k
Visual and Performing Arts, Other
BachCIP: 5099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Master's Degrees
Area Studies
MastCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$62,295
Earnings (5yr)
$68,367
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$92,529
Earnings (5yr)
$231,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$1512k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$80,205
Earnings (5yr)
$151,585
Lifetime Value Added
+$843k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$59,772
Earnings (5yr)
$101,305
Lifetime Value Added
+$416k
Design and Applied Arts
MastCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,756
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
International Relations and National Security Studies
MastCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$37,867
Earnings (5yr)
$104,862
Lifetime Value Added
+$446k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
MastCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$64,299
Earnings (5yr)
$62,989
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Public Policy Analysis
MastCIP: 4405
Median Debt
$78,854
Earnings (5yr)
$118,011
Lifetime Value Added
+$559k
Social Sciences, General
MastCIP: 4501
Median Debt
$43,505
Earnings (5yr)
$69,143
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$75,691
Earnings (5yr)
$69,739
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
$48,437
Earnings (5yr)
$171,616
Lifetime Value Added
+$1013k
Theological and Ministerial Studies
MastCIP: 3906
Median Debt
$62,708
Earnings (5yr)
$68,039
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Doctoral Degrees
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
DocCIP: 1611
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Political Science and Government
DocCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$74,576
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$188,691
Earnings (5yr)
$308,354
Lifetime Value Added
+$1674k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$141,166
Earnings (5yr)
$143,277
Lifetime Value Added
+$541k
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.