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University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, IL 21,814 Undergrads 70.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$26,998
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,313
After Aid
Median Earnings
$68,740
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$12,313
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$68,740
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate70.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients50.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
78.5%
SAT Avg
1,242
SAT Reading
25th: 56059575th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 56060075th: 680
ACT Composite
25th: 252775th: 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
+$584k
+$187k
+$99k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$539k
+$143k
+$55k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$486k
+$90k
+$2k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
32
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
40
124%
Full Cost$27k/yr
63
2%
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 Return101%
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-24%
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
$18,050
Earnings (5yr)
$77,917
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,747
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$23,080
Earnings (5yr)
$61,866
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,913
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$14,723
Earnings (5yr)
$65,840
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$16,031
Earnings (5yr)
$66,924
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$198k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,832
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$90,756
Lifetime Value Added
+$230k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$20,474
Earnings (5yr)
$62,220
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$83,670
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$19,224
Earnings (5yr)
$63,943
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (5yr)
$80,522
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$17,418
Earnings (5yr)
$116,325
Lifetime Value Added
+$421k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$22,881
Earnings (5yr)
$50,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services
BachCIP: 5131
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$20,342
Earnings (5yr)
$33,133
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$75,992
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$21,129
Earnings (5yr)
$100,600
Lifetime Value Added
+$304k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$50,974
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
BachCIP: 5207
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$24,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$302k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (5yr)
$45,248
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$77,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (5yr)
$41,311
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$19,466
Earnings (5yr)
$66,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,018
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,943
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
$20,341
Earnings (5yr)
$88,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$14,149
Earnings (5yr)
$79,273
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$15,251
Earnings (5yr)
$65,417
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$17,377
Earnings (5yr)
$66,987
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Mathematics and Computer Science
BachCIP: 3008
Median Debt
$18,150
Earnings (5yr)
$91,459
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,774
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$20,146
Earnings (5yr)
$88,275
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$15,687
Earnings (5yr)
$65,663
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$18,597
Earnings (5yr)
$57,896
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$15,934
Earnings (5yr)
$54,233
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (2yr)
$37,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$85,957
Lifetime Value Added
+$194k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$61,256
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,284
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,580
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$15,495
Earnings (5yr)
$59,699
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Urban Studies/Affairs
BachCIP: 4512
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,055
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$29,526
Earnings (5yr)
$95,944
Lifetime Value Added
+$382k
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences
MastCIP: 5105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$241,068
Lifetime Value Added
+$1597k
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,582
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$51,919
Earnings (5yr)
$132,305
Lifetime Value Added
+$692k
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
MastCIP: 0403
Median Debt
$33,645
Earnings (5yr)
$74,274
Lifetime Value Added
+$196k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$31,596
Earnings (2yr)
$75,921
Lifetime Value Added
+$250k
Computer Systems Analysis
MastCIP: 1105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$77,213
Lifetime Value Added
+$262k
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services
MastCIP: 5131
Median Debt
$69,530
Earnings (5yr)
$64,779
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,082
Lifetime Value Added
+$211k
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
MastCIP: 1306
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,399
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Engineering, General
MastCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$81,498
Lifetime Value Added
+$301k
Engineering, Other
MastCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Lifetime Value Added
+$329k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$52,000
Earnings (5yr)
$120,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$593k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
MastCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,542
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies
MastCIP: 2202
Median Debt
$113,247
Earnings (5yr)
$117,363
Lifetime Value Added
+$565k
Medical Illustration and Informatics
MastCIP: 5127
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,784
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Museology/Museum Studies
MastCIP: 3014
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,478
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$80,598
Lifetime Value Added
+$250k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$45,712
Earnings (5yr)
$90,212
Lifetime Value Added
+$333k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$97,999
Earnings (5yr)
$116,791
Lifetime Value Added
+$561k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$64,000
Earnings (5yr)
$76,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$214k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$35,907
Earnings (5yr)
$62,020
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$28,963
Earnings (5yr)
$80,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$245k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$32,000
Earnings (2yr)
$51,273
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Graduate Certificates
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences
Gr-CertCIP: 5105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$221,983
Lifetime Value Added
+$1624k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Gr-CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,668
Lifetime Value Added
+$291k
Social Work
Gr-CertCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,611
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Doctoral Degrees
English Language and Literature, General
DocCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,942
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Law
DocCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$153,993
Earnings (5yr)
$87,083
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Psychology, General
DocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$110,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$331k
Public Health
DocCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$48,587
Earnings (2yr)
$106,421
Lifetime Value Added
+$346k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
DocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$122,917
Lifetime Value Added
+$418k
Professional Degrees
Dentistry
ProfCIP: 5104
Median Debt
$323,938
Earnings (5yr)
$131,013
Lifetime Value Added
+$477k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$263,341
Earnings (5yr)
$161,284
Lifetime Value Added
+$694k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
ProfCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$147,690
Earnings (5yr)
$143,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$567k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
ProfCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$106,453
Earnings (5yr)
$84,386
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
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.