College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

Denver, CO 10,519 Undergrads 52.3% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$22,834
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,217
After Aid
Median Earnings
$70,777
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,217
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$70,777
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$69,387
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate52.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)24.2
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients37.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time78.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
74.7%
SAT Avg
1,116
SAT Reading
25th: 49056075th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 49054075th: 600
ACT Composite
25th: 232775th: 32

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
+$613k
+$143k
+$127k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$576k
+$106k
+$90k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$531k
+$61k
+$45k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
35
245%
Full Cost$23k/yr
45
54%
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 Return196%

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 Return4%

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)
$82,891
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
Not scored

Not scored. Graduates of this program earn more than graduates of the school's bachelor's degree in the same field, and about 1.8× the national median for this credential. That usually means students arrived already holding a degree or years of work experience. Our model assumes a student starting right after high school, so it can't measure what this program added. Earnings are as reported by the College Scorecard. Run it with your own cost and expected pay →

Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,732
Natl Median: $61,679
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
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Bachelor's Degrees

Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$34,420
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
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Median Debt
$14,432
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$16,546
Earnings (4yr)
$58,231
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$893
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Median Debt
$20,800
Earnings (4yr)
$86,190
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$218k
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Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$75,142
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,964
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
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Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$92,224
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$265k
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Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$62,882
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
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Median Debt
$19,125
Earnings (4yr)
$112,754
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$421k
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Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$61,192
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,878
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
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Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,385
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
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Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$15,100
Earnings (4yr)
$50,728
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
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Median Debt
$24,750
Earnings (4yr)
$110,754
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$406k
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Median Debt
$18,827
Earnings (4yr)
$54,500
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,584
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
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Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,842
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
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Median Debt
$19,351
Earnings (4yr)
$57,285
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,686
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,181
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
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International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$17,125
Earnings (4yr)
$61,344
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$23,875
Earnings (4yr)
$62,085
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
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Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$94,320
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$280k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,133
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
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Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$16,472
Earnings (4yr)
$46,532
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
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Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,273
Earnings (4yr)
$58,854
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,218
Earnings (4yr)
$52,990
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,630
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,149
Earnings (4yr)
$84,950
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
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Median Debt
$19,998
Earnings (5yr)
$60,969
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
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Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,361
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$49,619
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$34,042
Earnings (4yr)
$106,530
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$279k
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Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Natl Median: $61,276
Lifetime Value Added
-$282k
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Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,060
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,121
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biotechnology
MastCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,591
Natl Median: $107,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
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Median Debt
$46,603
Earnings (4yr)
$129,423
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$478k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,475
Natl Median: $76,837
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
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Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$45,678
Earnings (4yr)
$84,407
Natl Median: $79,665
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
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Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$90,072
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,153
Natl Median: $63,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$318k
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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
$40,648
Earnings (4yr)
$61,655
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
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Median Debt
$15,100
Earnings (4yr)
$67,259
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,527
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$74,576
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
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Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,089
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$197k
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Median Debt
$30,242
Earnings (4yr)
$97,868
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$140,670
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$575k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$75,204
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$327k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$134,158
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$519k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,149
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,496
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,025
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
-$299k
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Median Debt
$30,813
Earnings (4yr)
$100,997
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$231k
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Median Debt
$31,873
Earnings (4yr)
$118,649
Natl Median: $112,705
Lifetime Value Added
+$385k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,121
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,359
Natl Median: $56,301
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
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Median Debt
$29,932
Earnings (4yr)
$133,594
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$514k
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Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,242
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Natl Median: $79,106
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$127,357
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$439k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$175,290
Natl Median: $198,417
Lifetime Value Added
+$873k
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Median Debt
$65,800
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$77,438
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,565
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
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Median Debt
$30,663
Earnings (4yr)
$85,272
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
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Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$56,700
Earnings (4yr)
$78,998
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
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Median Debt
$48,664
Earnings (4yr)
$116,093
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$363k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,058
Natl Median: $65,443
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k
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Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,259
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
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Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,816
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$64,065
Earnings (4yr)
$63,098
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
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Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $114,810
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,598
Earnings (4yr)
$56,383
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,358
Natl Median: $64,492
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
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Public Health
Gr-CertCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,319
Natl Median: $88,684
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
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Median Debt
$42,819
Earnings (4yr)
$116,288
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$468k
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Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,729
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $104,514
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,683
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,096
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,848
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,578
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)
$74,497
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $154,538
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,173
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$85,570
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,482
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Genetics
DocCIP: 2608
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $102,123
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,755
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,435
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $108,943
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$188,631
Earnings (4yr)
$143,753
Natl Median: $136,696
Lifetime Value Added
+$380k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,640
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,464
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$51,398
Earnings (4yr)
$131,857
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$293k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
$263,601
Earnings (4yr)
$206,288
Natl Median: $242,548
Lifetime Value Added
+$836k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,819
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$121,548
Earnings (4yr)
$115,870
Natl Median: $127,648
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
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Dentistry
ProfCIP: 5104
Median Debt
$267,726
Earnings (4yr)
$162,753
Natl Median: $170,812
Lifetime Value Added
+$519k
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Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$230,053
Earnings (4yr)
$104,201
Natl Median: $112,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
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Median Debt
$114,511
Earnings (4yr)
$75,887
Natl Median: $81,641
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
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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.