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University of Houston-Downtown
Houston, TX 12,812 Undergrads 52.1% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$23,017
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,623
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,551
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$14,623
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$53,551
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate52.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients51.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time49.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS72.8%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
90.6%
SAT Avg
1,041
SAT Reading
25th: 490-75th: 560
SAT Math
25th: 470-75th: 550
ACT Composite
25th: 17-75th: 23
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
+$466k
+$69k
-$18k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$413k
+$17k
-$71k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$383k
-$13k
-$101k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-135%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-122%
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-117%
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-77%
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
$19,750
Earnings (5yr)
$67,119
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Biological and Physical Sciences
BachCIP: 3001
Median Debt
$21,765
Earnings (5yr)
$60,836
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,527
Earnings (5yr)
$41,923
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,875
Earnings (5yr)
$71,241
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$20,099
Earnings (5yr)
$63,971
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,946
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$23,455
Earnings (5yr)
$51,762
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$15,830
Earnings (5yr)
$90,280
Lifetime Value Added
+$218k
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1512
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$81,769
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$19,815
Earnings (5yr)
$55,229
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,319
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$19,545
Earnings (5yr)
$77,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,715
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,587
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$79,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (5yr)
$61,531
Lifetime Value Added
+$1k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$59,058
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$16,478
Lifetime Value Added
-$369k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,646
Earnings (5yr)
$51,203
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$51,370
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1507
Median Debt
$34,208
Earnings (5yr)
$71,630
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,683
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$248k
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
$21,452
Earnings (5yr)
$48,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,948
Earnings (5yr)
$58,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,656
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$289k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
BachCIP: 5001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,279
Lifetime Value Added
-$275k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$84,229
Lifetime Value Added
+$277k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$40,760
Earnings (5yr)
$92,757
Lifetime Value Added
+$350k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$34,792
Earnings (2yr)
$52,941
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
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.