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University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 23,189 Undergrads 66.4% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$32,291
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,218
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,025
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$17,218
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$59,025
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate66.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients21.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.1%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
92.4%
SAT Avg
1,213
SAT Reading
25th: 55060275th: 640
SAT Math
25th: 53060575th: 650
ACT Composite
25th: 212675th: 28
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
+$509k
+$113k
+$25k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$447k
+$51k
-$37k
Full Cost$32k/yr
+$393k
-$3k
-$91k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
44
∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
Never
-60%
Full Cost$32k/yr
Never
-79%
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-47%
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-68%
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
$22,562
Earnings (5yr)
$79,925
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Agricultural Business and Management
BachCIP: 0101
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$61,999
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Agricultural Engineering
BachCIP: 1403
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$90,188
Lifetime Value Added
+$208k
Agricultural Production Operations
BachCIP: 0103
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$51,426
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Agricultural Public Services
BachCIP: 0108
Median Debt
$22,875
Earnings (5yr)
$44,268
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$20,800
Earnings (5yr)
$65,391
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,078
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Apparel and Textiles
BachCIP: 1909
Median Debt
$22,612
Earnings (5yr)
$51,301
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,306
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$20,815
Earnings (5yr)
$55,915
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,547
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$63,199
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Biotechnology
BachCIP: 2612
Median Debt
$22,507
Earnings (5yr)
$56,791
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,803
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
$20,441
Earnings (5yr)
$77,597
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$22,950
Earnings (5yr)
$83,438
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,235
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$22,478
Earnings (5yr)
$76,310
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
$15,688
Earnings (5yr)
$65,512
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,361
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$21,453
Earnings (5yr)
$91,572
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$26,250
Earnings (5yr)
$57,495
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$35,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$15,922
Lifetime Value Added
-$384k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,955
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$23,485
Earnings (5yr)
$88,742
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$20,194
Earnings (5yr)
$42,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1901
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,992
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (5yr)
$80,396
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$39,370
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1905
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,851
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Forestry
BachCIP: 0305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,734
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$94,455
Lifetime Value Added
+$240k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$55,642
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$21,125
Earnings (5yr)
$55,454
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$24,550
Earnings (5yr)
$52,705
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,621
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,574
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$18,102
Earnings (5yr)
$58,171
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$87,796
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
Mining and Mineral Engineering
BachCIP: 1421
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,709
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$36,411
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$20,606
Earnings (5yr)
$54,801
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,729
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,226
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$47,701
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,011
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$42,148
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$25,418
Earnings (5yr)
$72,876
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,104
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,253
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$24,041
Earnings (5yr)
$42,327
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (5yr)
$45,328
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,081
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$22,804
Earnings (5yr)
$52,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$92,160
Lifetime Value Added
+$340k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$80,472
Earnings (5yr)
$119,533
Lifetime Value Added
+$575k
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,748
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$32,146
Earnings (5yr)
$110,670
Lifetime Value Added
+$499k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$88,200
Lifetime Value Added
+$306k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$21,557
Earnings (5yr)
$55,024
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$37,028
Earnings (5yr)
$61,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (2yr)
$44,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
MastCIP: 1905
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,314
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$37,969
Earnings (5yr)
$90,825
Lifetime Value Added
+$329k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,391
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
International Relations and National Security Studies
MastCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (5yr)
$91,588
Lifetime Value Added
+$335k
Library Science and Administration
MastCIP: 2501
Median Debt
$24,435
Earnings (5yr)
$50,187
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,585
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$40,014
Earnings (5yr)
$80,618
Lifetime Value Added
+$241k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$39,175
Earnings (5yr)
$48,651
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,575
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$47,022
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,699
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Graduate Certificates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Gr-CertCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$129,899
Lifetime Value Added
+$780k
Doctoral Degrees
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
DocCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,731
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
DocCIP: 1306
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,718
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
English Language and Literature, General
DocCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,517
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Mathematics
DocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Music
DocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Professional Degrees
Dentistry
ProfCIP: 5104
Median Debt
$249,454
Earnings (5yr)
$185,046
Lifetime Value Added
+$848k
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$75,150
Earnings (5yr)
$90,723
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$212,674
Earnings (5yr)
$191,366
Lifetime Value Added
+$893k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
ProfCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$139,898
Earnings (5yr)
$135,815
Lifetime Value Added
+$493k
Public Health
ProfCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
ProfCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$53,600
Earnings (5yr)
$110,979
Lifetime Value Added
+$314k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
ProfCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$78,880
Earnings (5yr)
$83,241
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
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.