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University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE 18,887 Undergrads 67.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$25,341
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,424
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,887
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$17,424
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$56,887
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate67.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients22.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
77.1%
SAT Avg
1,191
SAT Reading
25th: 55060575th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 54060075th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 222575th: 28
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
+$492k
+$96k
+$8k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$430k
+$33k
-$55k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$401k
+$5k
-$83k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
54
∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
Never
-87%
Full Cost$25k/yr
Never
-91%
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-65%
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-67%
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
Associate's Degrees
Agricultural Production Operations
AssocCIP: 0103
Median Debt
$11,314
Earnings (5yr)
$41,932
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$21,281
Earnings (5yr)
$74,112
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Agricultural Business and Management
BachCIP: 0101
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$60,418
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Agricultural Engineering
BachCIP: 1403
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$67,324
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Agricultural Mechanization
BachCIP: 0102
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$74,776
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Agriculture, General
BachCIP: 0100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$20,645
Earnings (5yr)
$54,812
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Apparel and Textiles
BachCIP: 1909
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,456
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services
BachCIP: 0106
Median Debt
$22,648
Earnings (5yr)
$56,741
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$25,260
Earnings (5yr)
$59,419
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$19,300
Earnings (5yr)
$65,264
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Biological/Biosystems Engineering
BachCIP: 1445
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,594
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,754
Lifetime Value Added
+$800
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$70,413
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$27,210
Earnings (5yr)
$89,055
Lifetime Value Added
+$199k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$79,612
Lifetime Value Added
+$128k
Classical and Ancient Studies
BachCIP: 3022
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,424
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$21,150
Earnings (5yr)
$53,230
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (5yr)
$58,608
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$104,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$311k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$20,240
Earnings (5yr)
$105,749
Lifetime Value Added
+$324k
Construction Engineering Technologies
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$91,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$218k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,543
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$42,511
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$21,422
Earnings (5yr)
$97,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$265k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,903
Earnings (5yr)
$44,600
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (2yr)
$28,381
Lifetime Value Added
-$270k
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies
BachCIP: 1904
Median Debt
$20,544
Earnings (5yr)
$45,796
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,974
Lifetime Value Added
-$237k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$77,155
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$42,040
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Food Science and Technology
BachCIP: 0110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,931
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1905
Median Debt
$23,865
Earnings (5yr)
$63,837
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$20,880
Earnings (5yr)
$46,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$21,412
Earnings (5yr)
$54,410
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Interior Architecture
BachCIP: 0405
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$57,171
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,444
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$20,990
Earnings (5yr)
$51,054
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Landscape Architecture
BachCIP: 0406
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$51,273
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$109,323
Lifetime Value Added
+$351k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$64,871
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$19,490
Earnings (5yr)
$73,518
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$20,767
Earnings (5yr)
$84,216
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$46,028
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$23,071
Earnings (5yr)
$49,722
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
$18,875
Earnings (5yr)
$58,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$63,703
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,377
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$22,102
Earnings (5yr)
$58,750
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,974
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Security Science and Technology
BachCIP: 4304
Median Debt
$25,125
Earnings (5yr)
$58,664
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$15,606
Earnings (5yr)
$53,358
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$51,536
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$22,185
Earnings (5yr)
$47,126
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$21,907
Earnings (5yr)
$51,736
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$94,289
Lifetime Value Added
+$358k
Agriculture, General
MastCIP: 0100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$35,126
Earnings (5yr)
$125,688
Lifetime Value Added
+$627k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$37,137
Earnings (5yr)
$51,718
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (5yr)
$55,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$22,104
Earnings (5yr)
$57,901
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
MastCIP: 1306
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,761
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Engineering, General
MastCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$133,929
Lifetime Value Added
+$697k
Fine and Studio Arts
MastCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$271k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
MastCIP: 1905
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,877
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
MastCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$31,568
Earnings (5yr)
$58,181
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,068
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Zoology/Animal Biology
MastCIP: 2607
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,058
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Doctoral Degrees
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
DocCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$38,100
Earnings (5yr)
$88,137
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
Communication and Media Studies
DocCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,358
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
DocCIP: 5102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$70,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Education, Other
DocCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$87,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$141k
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$61,714
Earnings (5yr)
$103,011
Lifetime Value Added
+$255k
English Language and Literature, General
DocCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,909
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Mathematics
DocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$88,956
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
Music
DocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$254k
Psychology, General
DocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$81,435
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Professional Degrees
Architecture
ProfCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$47,023
Earnings (5yr)
$68,841
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$54,456
Earnings (5yr)
$86,484
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
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.