Back to Colleges
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY 14,187 Undergrads 58.0% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$30,843
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,634
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,899
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$17,634
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$53,899
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate58.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time82.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
80.5%
SAT Avg
1,147
SAT Reading
25th: 51058075th: 630
SAT Math
25th: 51058075th: 620
ACT Composite
25th: 192475th: 27
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
+$469k
+$72k
-$16k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$405k
+$9k
-$79k
Full Cost$31k/yr
+$358k
-$39k
-$127k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-125%
Full Cost$31k/yr
Never
-114%
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-108%
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-82%
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
Associate's Degrees
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,636
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$18,644
Earnings (5yr)
$70,410
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
American Sign Language
BachCIP: 1616
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,473
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$19,860
Earnings (5yr)
$41,271
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,274
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
$16,169
Earnings (5yr)
$85,507
Lifetime Value Added
+$172k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$97,933
Lifetime Value Added
+$265k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$21,679
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$89,150
Lifetime Value Added
+$199k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,735
Earnings (5yr)
$51,634
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$21,306
Earnings (5yr)
$104,361
Lifetime Value Added
+$313k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$58,354
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,844
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$13,123
Earnings (5yr)
$97,308
Lifetime Value Added
+$260k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,628
Earnings (5yr)
$46,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$20,884
Earnings (5yr)
$73,986
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$24,768
Earnings (5yr)
$36,725
Lifetime Value Added
-$214k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,437
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$20,311
Earnings (5yr)
$52,717
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$21,490
Earnings (5yr)
$49,417
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$24,594
Earnings (5yr)
$43,109
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$94,472
Lifetime Value Added
+$239k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$70,079
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,133
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$90,074
Lifetime Value Added
+$206k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$13,747
Earnings (5yr)
$44,130
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Lifetime Value Added
-$333k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$18,121
Earnings (5yr)
$55,314
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,008
Earnings (5yr)
$47,915
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$19,704
Earnings (5yr)
$73,116
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$20,400
Earnings (2yr)
$30,409
Lifetime Value Added
-$252k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$47,126
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$20,800
Earnings (5yr)
$45,142
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$20,450
Earnings (5yr)
$49,009
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$56,902
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Post-Baccalaureate Certificates
Criminal Justice and Corrections
PB-CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$109,102
Lifetime Value Added
+$588k
Master's Degrees
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences
MastCIP: 5105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$222,062
Lifetime Value Added
+$1436k
Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$33,183
Earnings (5yr)
$99,098
Lifetime Value Added
+$399k
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
MastCIP: 0403
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,404
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$84,402
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,747
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$55,121
Earnings (5yr)
$59,595
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Computer Engineering
MastCIP: 1409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$107,301
Lifetime Value Added
+$470k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$30,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,273
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$26,724
Earnings (5yr)
$74,228
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$112,456
Lifetime Value Added
+$514k
Engineering-Related Fields
MastCIP: 1515
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$109,136
Lifetime Value Added
+$485k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,312
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$39,650
Earnings (5yr)
$61,159
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Industrial Engineering
MastCIP: 1435
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$106,836
Lifetime Value Added
+$466k
Mechanical Engineering
MastCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$105,609
Lifetime Value Added
+$455k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$194k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,153
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$37,565
Earnings (5yr)
$63,342
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$55,060
Earnings (5yr)
$114,230
Lifetime Value Added
+$529k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
MastCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$35,024
Earnings (5yr)
$55,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$34,475
Earnings (5yr)
$57,361
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,205
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$20,243
Earnings (5yr)
$53,145
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$22,841
Earnings (5yr)
$63,262
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Doctoral Degrees
Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Professional Degrees
Dentistry
ProfCIP: 5104
Median Debt
$305,953
Earnings (5yr)
$169,952
Lifetime Value Added
+$738k
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$96,424
Earnings (5yr)
$72,281
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$199,999
Earnings (5yr)
$184,775
Lifetime Value Added
+$844k
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.