College ROI

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University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, CO 8,697 Undergrads 46.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$24,595
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,788
After Aid
Median Earnings
$62,980
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,788
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$62,980
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$54,659
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate46.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age23.3
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients28.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time82.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
97.4%
SAT Avg
1,133
SAT Reading
25th: 510-75th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 500-75th: 600
ACT Composite
25th: 20-75th: 26

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$559k
+$93k
+$75k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$503k
+$36k
+$18k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$471k
+$4k
-$13k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
51
32%
Full Cost$25k/yr
Never
-15%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return71%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-31%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Bachelor's Degrees

Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,366
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,625
Earnings (4yr)
$54,639
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,553
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,535
Earnings (4yr)
$50,692
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$121,678
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$466k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$97,001
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$279k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,894
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$53,198
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$21,375
Earnings (4yr)
$75,209
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$113,627
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$405k
Engineering, Other
BachCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,989
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$42,627
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,892
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,605
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
-$645
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,949
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,992
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$91,192
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,909
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,284
Natl Median: $62,172
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Median Debt
$16,875
Earnings (4yr)
$63,538
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,725
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$78,904
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$141k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$46,444
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Systems Engineering
BachCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $105,185
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,244
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$37,628
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,060
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$36,790
Earnings (4yr)
$59,825
Natl Median: $82,371
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Median Debt
$36,448
Earnings (4yr)
$96,850
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,397
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$32,258
Earnings (4yr)
$60,531
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Median Debt
$29,208
Earnings (4yr)
$54,614
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$133,079
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
+$499k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,784
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: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,059
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Median Debt
$47,944
Earnings (4yr)
$91,668
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Median Debt
$54,400
Earnings (4yr)
$121,683
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$400k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
-$244k
Median Debt
$40,077
Earnings (5yr)
$52,500
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Median Debt
$51,468
Earnings (4yr)
$56,724
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k

Graduate Certificates

Education, Other
Gr-CertCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,921
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,492
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,630
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.