College ROI

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University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Lafayette, LA 12,428 Undergrads 56.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$24,884
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,530
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,638
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,530
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$58,638
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$47,089
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate56.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.9
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS69.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
87.0%
SAT Avg
1,219
SAT Reading
25th: 57056075th: 630
SAT Math
25th: 55055175th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: 232275th: 28

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$525k
+$58k
+$40k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$476k
+$9k
-$8k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$435k
-$32k
-$49k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
40
∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-17%
Full Cost$25k/yr
Never
-55%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-1%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-50%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$23,710
Earnings (4yr)
$60,241
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,488
Earnings (4yr)
$51,546
Natl Median: $62,161
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,294
Earnings (4yr)
$41,323
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Median Debt
$22,219
Earnings (4yr)
$53,473
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,104
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,382
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Median Debt
$20,927
Earnings (4yr)
$102,119
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$326k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$86,128
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,432
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,531
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Median Debt
$25,945
Earnings (4yr)
$77,087
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$83,527
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Median Debt
$23,149
Earnings (4yr)
$49,201
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Median Debt
$20,416
Earnings (4yr)
$42,867
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$84,883
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$194k
Median Debt
$25,509
Earnings (4yr)
$41,936
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,746
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k
Median Debt
$25,126
Earnings (4yr)
$59,315
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Median Debt
$24,706
Earnings (4yr)
$36,472
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,340
Earnings (4yr)
$50,001
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,299
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,178
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,274
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$69,334
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Insurance
BachCIP: 5217
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,472
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,369
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,961
Earnings (4yr)
$45,010
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$23,131
Earnings (4yr)
$53,685
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$54,004
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Median Debt
$22,175
Earnings (4yr)
$91,187
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$243k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$25,115
Earnings (4yr)
$29,175
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$259k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$102,594
Natl Median: $104,823
Lifetime Value Added
+$330k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,063
Earnings (4yr)
$48,378
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,401
Earnings (4yr)
$44,574
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Median Debt
$24,625
Earnings (4yr)
$51,082
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Median Debt
$15,494
Earnings (4yr)
$91,270
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$243k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$43,316
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,313
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Median Debt
$25,125
Earnings (4yr)
$53,265
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,384
Natl Median: $74,139
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,952
Earnings (4yr)
$73,988
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$33,685
Earnings (4yr)
$60,861
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $117,106
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$104,079
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
+$233k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$106,248
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
+$270k
Median Debt
$33,840
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
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)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$51,250
Earnings (4yr)
$117,259
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$366k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$36,400
Earnings (4yr)
$48,572
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$246k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$364k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,178
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Area Studies
DocCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,249
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,173
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$92,127
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,123
Natl Median: $65,831
Lifetime Value Added
-$245k
Mathematics
DocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,933
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.