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University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Lowell, MA 11,632 Undergrads 64.4% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$29,521
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,627
After Aid
Median Earnings
$64,874
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$18,627
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$64,874
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate64.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients28.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time81.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.8%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
85.2%
SAT Avg
1,253
SAT Reading
25th: 59062075th: 670
SAT Math
25th: 59063575th: 680
ACT Composite
25th: 262975th: 30
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
+$554k
+$158k
+$70k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$487k
+$91k
+$3k
Full Cost$30k/yr
+$448k
+$52k
-$36k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
35
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
61
5%
Full Cost$30k/yr
Never
-34%
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 Return34%
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-45%
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
Certificates
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (5yr)
$38,784
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Bachelor's Degrees
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$77,274
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$69,684
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$26,825
Earnings (5yr)
$100,143
Lifetime Value Added
+$278k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$84,162
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
$26,393
Earnings (5yr)
$75,806
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$26,277
Earnings (2yr)
$74,576
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$127,238
Lifetime Value Added
+$479k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$21,502
Earnings (5yr)
$66,631
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (2yr)
$36,852
Lifetime Value Added
-$197k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$25,413
Earnings (5yr)
$95,858
Lifetime Value Added
+$246k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,861
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$25,974
Earnings (5yr)
$63,880
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$22,564
Earnings (5yr)
$55,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$21,990
Earnings (5yr)
$85,758
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$22,625
Earnings (5yr)
$45,337
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$23,735
Earnings (5yr)
$73,307
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$95,465
Lifetime Value Added
+$243k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,730
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$333k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$18,173
Earnings (2yr)
$25,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$299k
Polymer/Plastics Engineering
BachCIP: 1432
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$96,500
Lifetime Value Added
+$250k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$52,247
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$24,982
Earnings (2yr)
$37,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$93,215
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$26,147
Earnings (5yr)
$73,414
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$23,375
Earnings (2yr)
$60,771
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$109,024
Lifetime Value Added
+$483k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,720
Earnings (5yr)
$118,511
Lifetime Value Added
+$564k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,822
Lifetime Value Added
+$266k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$77,553
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$63,327
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,947
Lifetime Value Added
+$336k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$119,608
Lifetime Value Added
+$573k
International Relations and National Security Studies
MastCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$19,662
Earnings (2yr)
$64,493
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Mechanical Engineering
MastCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$107,027
Lifetime Value Added
+$465k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,713
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$34,093
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Lifetime Value Added
+$318k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Graduate Certificates
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Gr-CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$106,835
Lifetime Value Added
+$566k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Gr-CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,403
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other
Gr-CertCIP: 4399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,426
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Psychology, General
Gr-CertCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$69,621
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Doctoral Degrees
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (5yr)
$82,613
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
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.