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University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, NC 23,567 Undergrads 65.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$22,034
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,745
After Aid
Median Earnings
$57,289
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$14,745
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$57,289
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate65.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients35.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
80.2%
SAT Avg
1,202
SAT Reading
25th: 55060575th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 56061575th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 212475th: 27
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
+$496k
+$99k
+$11k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$443k
+$46k
-$42k
Full Cost$22k/yr
+$416k
+$20k
-$68k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
52
∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-79%
Full Cost$22k/yr
Never
-86%
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-53%
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-60%
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
Certificates
Computer Science
CertCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$90,271
Lifetime Value Added
+$462k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$21,937
Earnings (5yr)
$78,329
Lifetime Value Added
+$128k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$16,151
Earnings (5yr)
$76,181
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,248
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,911
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,472
Earnings (5yr)
$64,203
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,922
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$65,102
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1502
Median Debt
$22,812
Earnings (5yr)
$78,553
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$79,801
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$53,309
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$103,237
Lifetime Value Added
+$315k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$21,504
Earnings (5yr)
$93,475
Lifetime Value Added
+$242k
Construction Engineering Technologies
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (5yr)
$79,769
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$20,749
Earnings (5yr)
$53,251
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$28,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$270k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$258k
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1603
Median Debt
$28,047
Earnings (5yr)
$32,651
Lifetime Value Added
-$238k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$21,959
Earnings (5yr)
$89,970
Lifetime Value Added
+$215k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$42,494
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$27,750
Earnings (5yr)
$43,026
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$78,144
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$25,052
Earnings (5yr)
$42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Fire Protection
BachCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$65,598
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$22,980
Earnings (5yr)
$54,869
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1605
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (5yr)
$43,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$51,651
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$20,056
Earnings (5yr)
$46,923
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,319
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$66,742
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$46,937
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$101,637
Lifetime Value Added
+$303k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$66,750
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Mathematics and Statistics, Other
BachCIP: 2799
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$70,704
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$22,574
Earnings (5yr)
$68,817
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1508
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (5yr)
$77,696
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$26,811
Earnings (5yr)
$85,296
Lifetime Value Added
+$180k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$248k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$51,763
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$49,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,365
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$19,120
Earnings (5yr)
$77,572
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$47,478
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,036
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$49,921
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,040
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$21,783
Earnings (5yr)
$45,769
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Systems Engineering
BachCIP: 1427
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$89,128
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$22,381
Earnings (5yr)
$45,221
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$93,353
Lifetime Value Added
+$355k
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology
MastCIP: 2611
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$111,387
Lifetime Value Added
+$510k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,700
Earnings (5yr)
$115,989
Lifetime Value Added
+$549k
Business/Managerial Economics
MastCIP: 5206
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$133,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$702k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$87,011
Lifetime Value Added
+$301k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
MastCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$29,420
Earnings (5yr)
$115,800
Lifetime Value Added
+$548k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$66,624
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$20,356
Earnings (5yr)
$75,252
Lifetime Value Added
+$200k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other
MastCIP: 1599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$71,575
Lifetime Value Added
+$206k
Engineering-Related Fields
MastCIP: 1515
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$90,412
Lifetime Value Added
+$377k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,532
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$36,040
Earnings (5yr)
$82,398
Lifetime Value Added
+$261k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,025
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Medical Illustration and Informatics
MastCIP: 5127
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$79,081
Lifetime Value Added
+$274k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
MastCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$112,052
Lifetime Value Added
+$516k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$32,015
Earnings (5yr)
$70,893
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$37,578
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$146,834
Lifetime Value Added
+$811k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,829
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,053
Earnings (5yr)
$56,678
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$57,411
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (5yr)
$56,996
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,839
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Graduate Certificates
Education, Other
Gr-CertCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$29,561
Earnings (5yr)
$49,199
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Educational Administration and Supervision
Gr-CertCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$25,472
Earnings (5yr)
$78,564
Lifetime Value Added
+$306k
Special Education and Teaching
Gr-CertCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,167
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Gr-CertCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,446
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
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.