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University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI 33,488 Undergrads 93.6% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$33,345
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,832
After Aid
Median Earnings
$83,648
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$14,832
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$83,648
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate93.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients17.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS85.8%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
17.9%
SAT Avg
1,473
SAT Reading
25th: 670-75th: 750
SAT Math
25th: 680-75th: 780
ACT Composite
25th: 31-75th: 34
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
+$693k
+$297k
+$209k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$640k
+$243k
+$156k
Full Cost$33k/yr
+$573k
+$177k
+$89k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
32
291%
Full Cost$33k/yr
40
74%
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 Return234%
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 Return12%
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
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
BachCIP: 1402
Median Debt
$21,125
Earnings (5yr)
$113,025
Lifetime Value Added
+$387k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$13,997
Earnings (5yr)
$65,575
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,185
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$13,821
Earnings (5yr)
$62,545
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$17,095
Earnings (5yr)
$65,675
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$18,762
Earnings (5yr)
$61,737
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$18,969
Earnings (5yr)
$85,471
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$140,827
Lifetime Value Added
+$593k
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
BachCIP: 2604
Median Debt
$19,378
Earnings (5yr)
$67,607
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$20,964
Earnings (5yr)
$100,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$290k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$75,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$88,870
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$19,941
Earnings (5yr)
$81,316
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$19,475
Earnings (5yr)
$153,297
Lifetime Value Added
+$685k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$123,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$462k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$17,875
Earnings (5yr)
$51,393
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$20,379
Earnings (5yr)
$29,295
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
BachCIP: 2613
Median Debt
$15,242
Earnings (5yr)
$37,268
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$108,627
Lifetime Value Added
+$355k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$17,430
Earnings (5yr)
$109,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$358k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$16,887
Earnings (5yr)
$56,880
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
BachCIP: 1414
Median Debt
$17,587
Earnings (5yr)
$88,990
Lifetime Value Added
+$208k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$14,802
Earnings (5yr)
$59,348
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$19,024
Earnings (5yr)
$49,997
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$18,767
Earnings (5yr)
$51,802
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$17,875
Earnings (5yr)
$55,772
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1605
Median Debt
$17,959
Earnings (5yr)
$55,147
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$18,924
Earnings (5yr)
$73,196
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,096
Earnings (5yr)
$65,724
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$14,225
Earnings (5yr)
$100,182
Lifetime Value Added
+$292k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (5yr)
$109,239
Lifetime Value Added
+$359k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$17,592
Earnings (5yr)
$125,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$478k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$15,240
Earnings (5yr)
$72,091
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$18,765
Earnings (5yr)
$52,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
$13,720
Earnings (5yr)
$53,477
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Materials Engineering
BachCIP: 1418
Median Debt
$16,250
Earnings (5yr)
$95,471
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$20,675
Earnings (5yr)
$107,395
Lifetime Value Added
+$345k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$101,514
Lifetime Value Added
+$302k
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
BachCIP: 2605
Median Debt
$18,330
Earnings (2yr)
$16,169
Lifetime Value Added
-$373k
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1611
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$336k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$106,619
Lifetime Value Added
+$340k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$18,997
Earnings (5yr)
$32,036
Lifetime Value Added
-$244k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,553
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
BachCIP: 1422
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$92,852
Lifetime Value Added
+$237k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,761
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Nuclear Engineering
BachCIP: 1423
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$99,564
Lifetime Value Added
+$287k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$19,125
Earnings (5yr)
$74,182
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$21,148
Earnings (5yr)
$75,644
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$17,965
Earnings (5yr)
$78,402
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Public Policy Analysis
BachCIP: 4405
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$86,020
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$81,553
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
$17,787
Earnings (5yr)
$63,419
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$13,999
Earnings (5yr)
$50,559
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$16,672
Earnings (5yr)
$64,140
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$18,419
Earnings (5yr)
$64,923
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
$23,150
Earnings (5yr)
$105,494
Lifetime Value Added
+$331k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$14,375
Earnings (5yr)
$53,154
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Visual and Performing Arts, Other
BachCIP: 5099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,488
Lifetime Value Added
-$268k
Post-Baccalaureate Certificates
Public Health
PB-CertCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,414
Lifetime Value Added
+$277k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$111,117
Lifetime Value Added
+$507k
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences
MastCIP: 5105
Median Debt
$186,255
Earnings (5yr)
$203,504
Lifetime Value Added
+$1290k
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
MastCIP: 1402
Median Debt
$29,625
Earnings (5yr)
$119,429
Lifetime Value Added
+$578k
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,657
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
Area Studies
MastCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$87,185
Lifetime Value Added
+$302k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
MastCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$32,513
Earnings (2yr)
$25,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology
MastCIP: 2611
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$93,335
Lifetime Value Added
+$355k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
MastCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$24,822
Earnings (5yr)
$94,319
Lifetime Value Added
+$363k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$56,932
Earnings (5yr)
$202,743
Lifetime Value Added
+$1283k
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
MastCIP: 0403
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,182
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$98,929
Lifetime Value Added
+$403k
Community Organization and Advocacy
MastCIP: 4402
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,971
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Computer Engineering
MastCIP: 1409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$172,782
Lifetime Value Added
+$1031k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
MastCIP: 2613
Median Debt
$57,517
Earnings (5yr)
$83,253
Lifetime Value Added
+$268k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$38,082
Earnings (5yr)
$62,114
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$40,500
Earnings (5yr)
$67,998
Lifetime Value Added
+$137k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$21,795
Earnings (5yr)
$147,652
Lifetime Value Added
+$818k
Engineering, Other
MastCIP: 1499
Median Debt
$49,644
Earnings (5yr)
$123,043
Lifetime Value Added
+$609k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$57,100
Earnings (5yr)
$133,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$701k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (5yr)
$70,763
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
MastCIP: 5199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$244,101
Lifetime Value Added
+$1616k
Industrial Engineering
MastCIP: 1435
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$119,550
Lifetime Value Added
+$579k
Information Science/Studies
MastCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$86,385
Lifetime Value Added
+$295k
Landscape Architecture
MastCIP: 0406
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$51,106
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Mechanical Engineering
MastCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$33,325
Earnings (5yr)
$116,298
Lifetime Value Added
+$552k
Medical Illustration and Informatics
MastCIP: 5127
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Lifetime Value Added
+$325k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$35,766
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
MastCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$35,377
Earnings (5yr)
$76,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
MastCIP: 1422
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$100,670
Lifetime Value Added
+$418k
Nutrition Sciences
MastCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$55,965
Earnings (5yr)
$62,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences
MastCIP: 2609
Median Debt
$25,625
Earnings (5yr)
$65,577
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$53,500
Earnings (5yr)
$75,572
Lifetime Value Added
+$202k
Public Policy Analysis
MastCIP: 4405
Median Debt
$48,894
Earnings (5yr)
$102,690
Lifetime Value Added
+$435k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$51,923
Earnings (5yr)
$113,943
Lifetime Value Added
+$532k
Research and Experimental Psychology
MastCIP: 4227
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$244k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,619
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$73,949
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k
Systems Engineering
MastCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$147,527
Lifetime Value Added
+$817k
Doctoral Degrees
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
DocCIP: 1402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$120,445
Lifetime Value Added
+$391k
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$115,612
Lifetime Value Added
+$356k
Music
DocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (2yr)
$41,193
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Physics
DocCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$87,754
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Public Health
DocCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$71,486
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
DocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$101,964
Lifetime Value Added
+$302k
Research and Experimental Psychology
DocCIP: 4227
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$103,449
Lifetime Value Added
+$268k
Professional Degrees
Dentistry
ProfCIP: 5104
Median Debt
$224,000
Earnings (5yr)
$158,677
Lifetime Value Added
+$667k
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$132,524
Earnings (5yr)
$197,273
Lifetime Value Added
+$944k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$146,559
Earnings (5yr)
$134,187
Lifetime Value Added
+$490k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
ProfCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$147,368
Earnings (5yr)
$142,224
Lifetime Value Added
+$548k
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.