Back to Colleges
University of Denver
Denver, CO 6,059 Undergrads 75.4% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$75,020
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$36,037
After Aid
Median Earnings
$71,155
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$36,037
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$71,155
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate75.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients15.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
71.2%
SAT Avg
1,344
SAT Reading
25th: 63065575th: 710
SAT Math
25th: 61064075th: 700
ACT Composite
25th: 292975th: 32
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
+$602k
+$205k
+$117k
Median Cost$36k/yr
+$472k
+$75k
-$13k
Full Cost$75k/yr
+$332k
-$65k
-$153k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$36k/yr
Never
-10%
Full Cost$75k/yr
Never
-57%
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-15%
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-69%
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
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$15,830
Earnings (5yr)
$103,111
Lifetime Value Added
+$237k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$23,139
Earnings (2yr)
$34,704
Lifetime Value Added
-$279k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$60,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,247
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$20,948
Earnings (5yr)
$80,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,666
Earnings (5yr)
$63,583
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$21,053
Earnings (5yr)
$97,801
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$40,863
Lifetime Value Added
-$245k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$25,083
Earnings (5yr)
$43,097
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$412k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$93,856
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$366k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$21,923
Earnings (5yr)
$62,364
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
$21,742
Earnings (5yr)
$83,881
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$60,795
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,844
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (5yr)
$94,896
Lifetime Value Added
+$176k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$26,248
Earnings (5yr)
$92,358
Lifetime Value Added
+$157k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$23,559
Earnings (5yr)
$46,789
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$24,750
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate)
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
$20,063
Earnings (5yr)
$60,082
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$72,583
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,126
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$21,866
Earnings (5yr)
$43,743
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$325k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$106,631
Lifetime Value Added
+$430k
Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,927
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$38,803
Earnings (5yr)
$86,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$254k
Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$66,687
Earnings (5yr)
$134,028
Lifetime Value Added
+$663k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$103,418
Earnings (5yr)
$59,688
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$47,481
Earnings (5yr)
$80,469
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
MastCIP: 0999
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,941
Lifetime Value Added
+$149k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
MastCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$46,680
Earnings (5yr)
$105,894
Lifetime Value Added
+$424k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,873
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$56,942
Earnings (5yr)
$69,514
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$40,794
Earnings (5yr)
$74,979
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Finance and Financial Management Services
MastCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$86,462
Lifetime Value Added
+$257k
Geography and Cartography
MastCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$39,198
Earnings (5yr)
$85,973
Lifetime Value Added
+$253k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$39,982
Earnings (5yr)
$106,956
Lifetime Value Added
+$433k
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$100,738
Lifetime Value Added
+$379k
International Business
MastCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$59,948
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
International Relations and National Security Studies
MastCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$94,837
Earnings (5yr)
$82,764
Lifetime Value Added
+$225k
International/Global Studies
MastCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,025
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies
MastCIP: 2202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$110,215
Lifetime Value Added
+$461k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
MastCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,360
Lifetime Value Added
+$66k
Library Science and Administration
MastCIP: 2501
Median Debt
$57,905
Earnings (5yr)
$57,106
Lifetime Value Added
+$202
Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$62,723
Earnings (5yr)
$95,684
Lifetime Value Added
+$336k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$25,803
Lifetime Value Added
-$302k
Natural Resources Management and Policy
MastCIP: 0302
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$85,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$250k
Psychology, Other
MastCIP: 4299
Median Debt
$126,231
Earnings (5yr)
$63,058
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Public Policy Analysis
MastCIP: 4405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,432
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Real Estate
MastCIP: 5215
Median Debt
$56,614
Earnings (2yr)
$83,546
Lifetime Value Added
+$276k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$79,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
$29,789
Earnings (5yr)
$120,969
Lifetime Value Added
+$553k
Graduate Certificates
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Gr-CertCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$127,895
Earnings (5yr)
$68,479
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k
Communication and Media Studies
Gr-CertCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,655
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Gr-CertCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$38,194
Earnings (5yr)
$81,561
Lifetime Value Added
+$314k
Curriculum and Instruction
Gr-CertCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$32,206
Earnings (5yr)
$63,033
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Educational Administration and Supervision
Gr-CertCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$30,504
Earnings (5yr)
$89,113
Lifetime Value Added
+$385k
Geography and Cartography
Gr-CertCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$33,952
Earnings (5yr)
$78,679
Lifetime Value Added
+$288k
Natural Resources Management and Policy
Gr-CertCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Doctoral Degrees
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
DocCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$168,425
Earnings (5yr)
$83,508
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Curriculum and Instruction
DocCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
English Language and Literature, General
DocCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,058
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Religion/Religious Studies
DocCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,247
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$161,053
Earnings (5yr)
$96,604
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
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.