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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 20,556 Undergrads 90.9% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$25,181
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,983
After Aid
Median Earnings
$72,200
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$12,983
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$72,200
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate90.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients20.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS82.2%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
18.7%
SAT Avg
1,454
SAT Reading
25th: 68062575th: 750
SAT Math
25th: 69063575th: 780
ACT Composite
25th: 302575th: 34
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
+$609k
+$213k
+$125k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$562k
+$166k
+$78k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$519k
+$122k
+$34k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
37
167%
Full Cost$25k/yr
48
38%
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 Return168%
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-3%
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
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,943
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,860
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
$14,135
Earnings (5yr)
$117,954
Lifetime Value Added
+$431k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$13,261
Earnings (5yr)
$58,306
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,430
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$14,239
Earnings (5yr)
$125,645
Lifetime Value Added
+$488k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,202
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$14,625
Earnings (5yr)
$67,532
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (5yr)
$124,977
Lifetime Value Added
+$483k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,230
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$15,827
Earnings (2yr)
$28,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$248k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$14,135
Earnings (5yr)
$96,785
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$14,794
Earnings (5yr)
$54,429
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$11,364
Earnings (5yr)
$49,010
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$11,599
Earnings (5yr)
$42,572
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,954
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$14,250
Earnings (5yr)
$54,874
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$12,750
Earnings (5yr)
$66,529
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$13,197
Earnings (5yr)
$102,438
Lifetime Value Added
+$315k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
$16,782
Earnings (5yr)
$57,670
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$15,127
Earnings (5yr)
$101,719
Lifetime Value Added
+$310k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$18,007
Earnings (5yr)
$41,458
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,613
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
BachCIP: 3005
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (5yr)
$78,097
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$14,618
Earnings (5yr)
$59,952
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$17,150
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$14,569
Earnings (5yr)
$71,082
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$13,999
Earnings (5yr)
$56,424
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Public Policy Analysis
BachCIP: 4405
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,196
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$19,802
Earnings (5yr)
$77,041
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$13,379
Earnings (5yr)
$55,230
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$14,050
Earnings (5yr)
$57,345
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,232
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Post-Baccalaureate Certificates
Public Health
PB-CertCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$91,744
Lifetime Value Added
+$483k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$58,824
Earnings (5yr)
$104,860
Lifetime Value Added
+$457k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$90,800
Earnings (5yr)
$185,724
Lifetime Value Added
+$1144k
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
MastCIP: 0403
Median Debt
$34,940
Earnings (5yr)
$88,251
Lifetime Value Added
+$315k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$50,279
Earnings (5yr)
$73,721
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,438
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$37,562
Earnings (2yr)
$58,943
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$65,082
Earnings (5yr)
$109,461
Lifetime Value Added
+$497k
Information Science/Studies
MastCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$35,630
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Library Science and Administration
MastCIP: 2501
Median Debt
$42,364
Earnings (5yr)
$60,802
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Nutrition Sciences
MastCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$75,336
Earnings (5yr)
$60,736
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$61,017
Earnings (5yr)
$80,958
Lifetime Value Added
+$252k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$56,414
Earnings (5yr)
$96,186
Lifetime Value Added
+$383k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$98,399
Lifetime Value Added
+$402k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,590
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$42,252
Earnings (5yr)
$59,920
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Doctoral Degrees
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,689
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Professional Degrees
Dentistry
ProfCIP: 5104
Median Debt
$214,834
Earnings (5yr)
$187,283
Lifetime Value Added
+$879k
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$91,570
Earnings (5yr)
$103,387
Lifetime Value Added
+$274k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$144,732
Earnings (5yr)
$173,217
Lifetime Value Added
+$778k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
ProfCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$146,598
Earnings (5yr)
$135,580
Lifetime Value Added
+$507k
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.