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University of Missouri-St Louis
Saint Louis, MO 5,108 Undergrads 59.9% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$27,442
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,323
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,037
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$12,323
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$53,037
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate59.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time74.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
57.2%
SAT Avg
1,147
SAT Reading
25th: 50057575th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 53058575th: 600
ACT Composite
25th: 202675th: 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
+$462k
+$65k
-$23k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$417k
+$21k
-$67k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$363k
-$33k
-$121k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-151%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-123%
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-121%
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-83%
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
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$18,774
Earnings (5yr)
$74,336
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$38,860
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$23,850
Earnings (5yr)
$66,101
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$58,767
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$17,956
Earnings (5yr)
$61,411
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,244
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$84,523
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$17,250
Earnings (5yr)
$49,044
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$96,734
Lifetime Value Added
+$275k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$18,504
Earnings (5yr)
$50,009
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$340k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$65,785
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$27,147
Earnings (5yr)
$33,199
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$18,698
Earnings (5yr)
$99,007
Lifetime Value Added
+$292k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,905
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$24,075
Earnings (5yr)
$46,619
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,312
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,013
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
$23,282
Earnings (5yr)
$40,433
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$90,391
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$16,187
Earnings (5yr)
$60,849
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$27,250
Earnings (5yr)
$90,966
Lifetime Value Added
+$232k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,687
Earnings (5yr)
$51,429
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,581
Earnings (5yr)
$43,122
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,187
Earnings (5yr)
$76,027
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$24,125
Earnings (5yr)
$40,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,325
Earnings (5yr)
$46,104
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$38,671
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$18,945
Earnings (5yr)
$85,960
Lifetime Value Added
+$296k
Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$28,405
Earnings (5yr)
$110,354
Lifetime Value Added
+$506k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$42,593
Earnings (5yr)
$55,479
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,405
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,772
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,320
Lifetime Value Added
+$187k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$119,093
Lifetime Value Added
+$580k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$35,579
Earnings (5yr)
$59,130
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$27,027
Earnings (5yr)
$54,785
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$44,447
Earnings (5yr)
$52,691
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$25,044
Earnings (5yr)
$54,636
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Graduate Certificates
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Gr-CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,618
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Special Education and Teaching
Gr-CertCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,428
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Doctoral Degrees
Education, General
DocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$46,923
Earnings (5yr)
$85,196
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Psychology, General
DocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$78,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Professional Degrees
Optometry
ProfCIP: 5117
Median Debt
$167,750
Earnings (5yr)
$123,036
Lifetime Value Added
+$419k
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.