College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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University of Nevada-Reno

Reno, NV 15,599 Undergrads 60.6% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$24,944
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,797
After Aid
Median Earnings
$69,473
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,797
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$69,473
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$67,303
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate60.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)21.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients29.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
73.7%
SAT Avg
1,132
SAT Reading
25th: 54060075th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 52058075th: 640
ACT Composite
25th: 192275th: 26

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
+$603k
+$133k
+$117k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$554k
+$83k
+$67k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$513k
+$43k
+$27k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
39
135%
Full Cost$25k/yr
50
30%
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 Return150%

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-11%

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 →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,398
Earnings (4yr)
$85,943
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,225
Earnings (4yr)
$52,481
Natl Median: $49,880
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
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Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,607
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,997
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$10,518
Earnings (4yr)
$63,239
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
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Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$15,550
Earnings (4yr)
$59,715
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$133
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biotechnology
BachCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,097
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,445
Earnings (4yr)
$59,014
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
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Median Debt
$15,432
Earnings (4yr)
$68,419
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$84,965
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$196k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$20,472
Earnings (5yr)
$67,462
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
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Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$81,201
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
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Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,953
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
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Median Debt
$18,429
Earnings (4yr)
$59,896
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
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Median Debt
$16,375
Earnings (4yr)
$77,237
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$137k
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Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$17,177
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,273
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
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Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,774
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$281k
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Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,625
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,838
Earnings (4yr)
$96,291
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$283k
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Engineering Physics
BachCIP: 1412
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,154
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (4yr)
$45,095
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$83,233
Natl Median: $81,171
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$72,227
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
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Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,074
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
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Forestry
BachCIP: 0305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,902
Natl Median: $58,784
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,864
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,971
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$78,079
Natl Median: $77,880
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,049
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
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History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,808
Earnings (4yr)
$55,230
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
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Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$52,084
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,236
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,002
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
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Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$14,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,322
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
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Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$52,501
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
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Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (4yr)
$67,914
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$66k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$13,250
Earnings (4yr)
$70,681
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
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Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (4yr)
$88,460
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$223k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,722
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (4yr)
$66,355
Natl Median: $62,582
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Natl Median: $101,390
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
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Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$23,791
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$312k
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Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,528
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
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Median Debt
$16,869
Earnings (4yr)
$57,769
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
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Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,569
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
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Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,567
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,481
Earnings (4yr)
$55,483
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,553
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
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Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$97,949
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$295k
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Median Debt
$17,589
Earnings (4yr)
$51,433
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
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Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,320
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
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Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,564
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
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Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,532
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
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Median Debt
$12,034
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,171
Natl Median: $45,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$31,250
Earnings (2yr)
$57,860
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
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Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,439
Natl Median: $61,276
Lifetime Value Added
-$210k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,482
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,241
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biotechnology
MastCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Natl Median: $107,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
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Median Debt
$27,685
Earnings (4yr)
$118,430
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$377k
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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
-
Earnings (4yr)
$80,151
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$37,636
Earnings (4yr)
$69,226
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$79,284
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
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Median Debt
$18,597
Earnings (4yr)
$66,406
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,713
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $94,646
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,524
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
MastCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,034
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$88,763
Natl Median: $101,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,093
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)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,209
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,005
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,242
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$310k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,229
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
MastCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
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Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$93,116
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$156k
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Median Debt
$25,390
Earnings (4yr)
$123,539
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$421k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,216
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$34,500
Earnings (4yr)
$73,580
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
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Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,554
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
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Median Debt
$49,157
Earnings (4yr)
$67,781
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,086
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,004
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Anthropology
DocCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,473
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $102,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,683
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,578
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
DocCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,173
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
DocCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $135,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
DocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$94,496
Natl Median: $87,373
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,831
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,345
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,469
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,039
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,845
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $108,943
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: $90,908
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$161,545
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$498k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,410
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$177,555
Earnings (4yr)
$162,680
Natl Median: $112,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$506k
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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.