College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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University of Massachusetts-Lowell

Lowell, MA 11,434 Undergrads 67.9% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$31,226
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,362
After Aid
Median Earnings
$80,244
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$17,362
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$80,244
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$77,989
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate67.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)22.9
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time82.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS85.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
83.0%
SAT Avg
1,285
SAT Reading
25th: 59064075th: 680
SAT Math
25th: 59064075th: 690
ACT Composite
25th: 252975th: 32

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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$684k
+$214k
+$198k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$622k
+$152k
+$135k
Full Cost$31k/yr
+$572k
+$102k
+$85k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
34
217%
Full Cost$31k/yr
40
76%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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 Return235%

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 Return11%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$85,543
Natl Median: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
+$434k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,556
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,725
Earnings (4yr)
$50,742
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,019
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $29,202
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$91,498
Natl Median: $58,325
Lifetime Value Added
Not scored

Not scored. Graduates of this program earn more than graduates of the school's associate degree in the same field, and about 1.6× the national median for this credential. That usually means students arrived already holding a degree or years of work experience. Our model assumes a student starting right after high school, so it can't measure what this program added. Earnings are as reported by the College Scorecard. Run it with your own cost and expected pay →

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,423
Natl Median: $56,799
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,773
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$76,149
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
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Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,300
Earnings (4yr)
$75,859
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
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Median Debt
$26,818
Earnings (4yr)
$94,972
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$260k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,568
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
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Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$24,375
Earnings (4yr)
$83,233
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
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Median Debt
$24,981
Earnings (4yr)
$86,040
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k
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Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$97,547
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$279k
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Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$23,603
Earnings (4yr)
$111,612
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$386k
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Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$66,258
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
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Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$21,381
Earnings (4yr)
$76,822
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
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Median Debt
$24,016
Earnings (4yr)
$101,054
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$306k
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Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,215
Earnings (4yr)
$54,039
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
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Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,637
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
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History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,973
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
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Median Debt
$21,348
Earnings (4yr)
$89,715
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
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Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,492
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (4yr)
$72,826
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$120,219
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$452k
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Median Debt
$23,403
Earnings (4yr)
$94,841
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$259k
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Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,384
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
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Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,783
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
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Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (4yr)
$69,604
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
+$66k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,114
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,629
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
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Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$91,438
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$233k
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Median Debt
$18,668
Earnings (4yr)
$63,584
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
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Median Debt
$26,945
Earnings (4yr)
$100,428
Natl Median: $92,919
Lifetime Value Added
+$301k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,189
Earnings (4yr)
$57,489
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
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Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$65,429
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
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Median Debt
$26,636
Earnings (4yr)
$93,650
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$250k
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Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,361
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$111,662
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$311k
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Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$16,004
Earnings (5yr)
$122,808
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
+$387k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$107,285
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
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Median Debt
$24,014
Earnings (4yr)
$119,730
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$381k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,468
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$94,416
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$93,446
Natl Median: $90,984
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$132,707
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$494k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$130,170
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
+$472k
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Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$151,603
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$656k
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Median Debt
$22,932
Earnings (4yr)
$109,714
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
+$294k
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Median Debt
$25,825
Earnings (4yr)
$66,277
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$82,921
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$137,144
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$532k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering, Other
MastCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,955
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$119,763
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$382k
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History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,690
Earnings (4yr)
$103,784
Natl Median: $95,627
Lifetime Value Added
+$242k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$117,288
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$360k
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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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,267
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$95,208
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$107,285
Natl Median: $114,668
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
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Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$39,032
Earnings (2yr)
$54,713
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$39,105
Earnings (4yr)
$73,712
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$125,044
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$427k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,216
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$69,694
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
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Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$128,785
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
+$579k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,413
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,517
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (4yr)
$97,509
Natl Median: $74,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$284k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,570
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering, Other
Gr-CertCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,828
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$78,018
Natl Median: $99,117
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$94,851
Natl Median: $70,055
Lifetime Value Added
+$241k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $122,843
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,095
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
Gr-CertCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,990
Natl Median: $62,083
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
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Public Health
Gr-CertCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,684
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,848
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $141,187
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $167,302
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
DocCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $178,476
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,070
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
DocCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,153
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,514
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
DocCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $108,962
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$85,128
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,168
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.