College ROI

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University of New Orleans

New Orleans, LA 4,638 Undergrads 45.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$17,816
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,761
After Aid
Median Earnings
$54,212
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$7,761
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$54,212
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$53,518
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate45.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average starting age (2015-17)22.3
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients53.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time85.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS63.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
74.3%
SAT Avg
1,052
SAT Reading
25th: 48055075th: 616
SAT Math
25th: 45553075th: 625
ACT Composite
25th: 172075th: 23

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
+$482k
+$12k
-$4k
Median Cost$8k/yr
+$454k
-$16k
-$32k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$418k
-$52k
-$69k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$8k/yr
Never
-116%
Full Cost$18k/yr
Never
-107%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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-84%

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-63%

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
$16,281
Earnings (4yr)
$59,301
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
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Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,671
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
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Median Debt
$19,435
Earnings (4yr)
$56,058
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$18,816
Earnings (4yr)
$80,704
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$185k
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Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (4yr)
$99,548
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$329k
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Median Debt
$20,212
Earnings (4yr)
$28,807
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$242k
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Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (4yr)
$95,630
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$299k
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Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$40,424
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
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Median Debt
$14,723
Earnings (4yr)
$54,153
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
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Median Debt
$18,540
Earnings (4yr)
$26,737
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$260k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,987
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
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History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,315
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,391
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
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International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,315
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$328k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,474
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,050
Earnings (4yr)
$91,435
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$267k
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Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,023
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
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Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$29,321
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$242k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $114,055
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,569
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$197k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$16,790
Earnings (4yr)
$37,747
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
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Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$258k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$39,243
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
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Median Debt
$21,713
Earnings (4yr)
$51,652
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,183
Natl Median: $62,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$83,470
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
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Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
MastCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,572
Natl Median: $59,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
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Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$39,453
Earnings (4yr)
$85,215
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
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Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,970
Natl Median: $79,665
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
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Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$412k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Science
MastCIP: 1413
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$114,412
Natl Median: $123,681
Lifetime Value Added
+$353k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,250
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$417k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,341
Earnings (4yr)
$63,152
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
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History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
-$289k
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Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (5yr)
$70,975
Natl Median: $74,856
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
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Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,850
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 (2yr)
$39,369
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$311k
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Median Debt
$38,182
Earnings (4yr)
$48,203
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$240k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,660
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,286
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$266k
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Median Debt
$50,387
Earnings (4yr)
$44,524
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$276k
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Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $114,810
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,526
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,634
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,096
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,110
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,031
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,482
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,908
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, Other
DocCIP: 4299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,857
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,739
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,794
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,485
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.