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University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, CO 8,870 Undergrads 48.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$23,713
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,431
After Aid
Median Earnings
$54,659
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$16,431
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$54,659
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate48.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients28.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time80.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
96.6%
SAT Avg
1,140
SAT Reading
25th: 520-75th: 630
SAT Math
25th: 500-75th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: 21-75th: 28
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
+$475k
+$78k
-$10k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$416k
+$19k
-$69k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$389k
-$7k
-$95k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
Never
-116%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-111%
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 Return-99%
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-74%
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)
$42,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,625
Earnings (5yr)
$51,834
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,312
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$17,535
Earnings (5yr)
$49,311
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$107,464
Lifetime Value Added
+$340k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (5yr)
$53,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$21,375
Earnings (5yr)
$59,346
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$93,250
Lifetime Value Added
+$234k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,163
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,181
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,409
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,119
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$90,079
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$36,118
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$16,875
Earnings (5yr)
$48,164
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$45,563
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$80,208
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$45,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
BachCIP: 5001
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$32,227
Lifetime Value Added
-$248k
Master's Degrees
Biological and Physical Sciences
MastCIP: 3001
Median Debt
$36,790
Earnings (5yr)
$48,373
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$36,448
Earnings (5yr)
$97,672
Lifetime Value Added
+$389k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$291k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$32,258
Earnings (5yr)
$53,788
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$29,208
Earnings (5yr)
$61,513
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$47,944
Earnings (5yr)
$61,502
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$54,400
Earnings (5yr)
$119,680
Lifetime Value Added
+$578k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$40,077
Earnings (5yr)
$52,500
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$51,468
Earnings (5yr)
$56,026
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
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.