College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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University of Minnesota-Duluth

Duluth, MN 7,336 Undergrads 64.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$27,680
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,743
After Aid
Median Earnings
$66,056
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,743
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$66,056
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$62,616
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate64.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.4
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients21.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS84.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
88.8%
SAT Avg
1,251
SAT Reading
25th: 59061075th: 675
SAT Math
25th: 59060575th: 675
ACT Composite
25th: 232575th: 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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$584k
+$117k
+$99k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$516k
+$49k
+$32k
Full Cost$28k/yr
+$484k
+$17k
-$459

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
32
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
47
47%
Full Cost$28k/yr
Never
-0%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return96%

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-26%
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

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,868
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$287k
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
CertCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,671
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,869
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,646
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,360
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$303k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,729
Earnings (4yr)
$61,010
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,317
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,767
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Median Debt
$21,470
Earnings (4yr)
$70,334
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Median Debt
$25,176
Earnings (4yr)
$65,275
Natl Median: $66,697
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Median Debt
$24,295
Earnings (4yr)
$85,667
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$21,242
Earnings (4yr)
$66,529
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$23,379
Earnings (4yr)
$79,485
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Median Debt
$21,852
Earnings (4yr)
$60,023
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,362
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,420
Natl Median: $55,384
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$91,911
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$79,939
Natl Median: $73,587
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$22,885
Earnings (4yr)
$59,754
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Median Debt
$24,275
Earnings (4yr)
$52,727
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Median Debt
$20,812
Earnings (4yr)
$42,438
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,792
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (4yr)
$46,964
Natl Median: $49,113
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Median Debt
$24,382
Earnings (4yr)
$88,305
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$202k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$46,740
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,800
Earnings (4yr)
$73,979
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,380
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$204k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,569
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Median Debt
$27,219
Earnings (4yr)
$63,893
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$61,062
Natl Median: $43,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Median Debt
$20,715
Earnings (4yr)
$68,386
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$22,881
Earnings (4yr)
$43,766
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Median Debt
$24,592
Earnings (4yr)
$97,732
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$274k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$233k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$42,478
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$74,079
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$23,775
Earnings (4yr)
$75,633
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Median Debt
$24,962
Earnings (4yr)
$88,965
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$21,126
Earnings (4yr)
$45,834
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Median Debt
$24,699
Earnings (4yr)
$56,728
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,452
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,812
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,256
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$51,891
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$24,986
Earnings (4yr)
$59,639
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Median Debt
$23,394
Earnings (4yr)
$57,886
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,973
Earnings (4yr)
$54,226
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,174
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$63,269
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
$21,600
Earnings (4yr)
$71,279
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$49,528
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Median Debt
$26,077
Earnings (4yr)
$48,669
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,231
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,060
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$49,537
Earnings (4yr)
$65,227
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,849
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
$100,577
Natl Median: $103,349
Lifetime Value Added
+$211k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$37,319
Earnings (4yr)
$62,641
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Education, General
DocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $87,373
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,933
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
DegCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,021
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,047
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,768
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminology
DegCIP: 4504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,938
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,852
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
DegCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,473
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
DegCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,645
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
DegCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,262
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,568
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,220
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $27,684
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
DegCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,018
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,128
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,027
Natl Median: $56,308
Lifetime Value Added
-$296k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,684
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,636
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,216
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
DegCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,628
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,347
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.