College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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University of Nevada-Reno

Reno, NV 15,599 Undergrads 61.2% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$25,786
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,927
After Aid
Median Earnings
$67,498
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,927
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$67,498
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$60,614
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate61.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients25.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
73.7%
SAT Avg
1,132
SAT Reading
25th: 54058575th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 52058075th: 640
ACT Composite
25th: 192375th: 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
+$595k
+$128k
+$110k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$537k
+$70k
+$53k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$502k
+$35k
+$17k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
32
∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
42
92%
Full Cost$26k/yr
53
19%
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 Return132%

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-14%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$18,152
Earnings (4yr)
$85,943
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$194k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,481
Natl Median: $49,880
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,607
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,997
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$14,024
Earnings (4yr)
$63,239
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,321
Earnings (4yr)
$59,715
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
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
$17,975
Earnings (4yr)
$59,014
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$68,419
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,032
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$84,965
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$16,250
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$252k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$22,342
Earnings (4yr)
$81,201
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Median Debt
$17,232
Earnings (4yr)
$68,953
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Median Debt
$17,479
Earnings (4yr)
$59,896
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$77,237
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$100,203
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$303k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$17,930
Earnings (4yr)
$66,273
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
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
-$288k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$22,529
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,892
Natl Median: $49,113
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Median Debt
$17,250
Earnings (4yr)
$96,291
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
Engineering Physics
BachCIP: 1412
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,154
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,355
Earnings (4yr)
$45,095
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Median Debt
$24,357
Earnings (4yr)
$83,233
Natl Median: $81,171
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (4yr)
$72,227
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,074
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Forestry
BachCIP: 0305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,927
Natl Median: $58,784
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,864
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Median Debt
$19,021
Earnings (2yr)
$44,971
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$78,079
Natl Median: $77,880
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$63,049
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,230
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$52,084
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Median Debt
$13,744
Earnings (4yr)
$76,236
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Median Debt
$21,094
Earnings (4yr)
$58,002
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,322
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,501
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$67,914
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$13,462
Earnings (4yr)
$70,681
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Median Debt
$21,955
Earnings (4yr)
$88,460
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,722
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,084
Earnings (4yr)
$66,355
Natl Median: $62,582
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$94,923
Natl Median: $101,390
Lifetime Value Added
+$248k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,738
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,528
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Median Debt
$20,833
Earnings (4yr)
$57,769
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$19,800
Earnings (4yr)
$57,193
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$17,902
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,567
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,891
Earnings (4yr)
$55,483
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,283
Earnings (4yr)
$51,553
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$97,949
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$286k
Median Debt
$13,250
Earnings (4yr)
$51,433
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$19,019
Earnings (4yr)
$60,320
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$16,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,564
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,532
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,270
Earnings (4yr)
$46,171
Natl Median: $45,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,593
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,860
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,439
Natl Median: $61,276
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k
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
-$208k
Median Debt
$30,115
Earnings (4yr)
$118,430
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$372k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,526
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
+$37k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,226
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$131,367
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$462k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminology
MastCIP: 4504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,406
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
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: $92,629
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: $66,523
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
-$170k
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
+$113k
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
-$312k
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
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,814
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$43,452
Earnings (4yr)
$93,116
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$151k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$123,539
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$416k
Median Debt
$30,750
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
$31,938
Earnings (4yr)
$73,580
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,121
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Median Debt
$39,548
Earnings (4yr)
$67,781
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Median Debt
$30,948
Earnings (4yr)
$62,086
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
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: $167,302
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,031
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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $87,373
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
-
Earnings (5yr)
$98,544
Natl Median: $98,707
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$161,545
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$490k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,410
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,739
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$172,471
Earnings (4yr)
$162,680
Natl Median: $112,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$499k

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.