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University of North Carolina Wilmington
Wilmington, NC 14,176 Undergrads 73.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$25,913
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,472
After Aid
Median Earnings
$54,967
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$19,472
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$54,967
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate73.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients25.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time86.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.8%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
74.0%
SAT Avg
1,262
SAT Reading
25th: 62064075th: 690
SAT Math
25th: 60063075th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 242675th: 28
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
+$477k
+$81k
-$7k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$407k
+$11k
-$77k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$384k
-$13k
-$100k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-110%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-108%
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-94%
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-75%
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
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$22,987
Earnings (5yr)
$37,701
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,157
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,555
Earnings (5yr)
$75,102
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$99,380
Lifetime Value Added
+$269k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$16,400
Earnings (5yr)
$61,124
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,772
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (2yr)
$45,715
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$23,980
Earnings (5yr)
$98,418
Lifetime Value Added
+$262k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,855
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$28,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$293k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
BachCIP: 2613
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$42,738
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,569
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$35,422
Lifetime Value Added
-$231k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$22,479
Earnings (5yr)
$34,919
Lifetime Value Added
-$236k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$22,995
Earnings (5yr)
$51,481
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,632
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 5199
Median Debt
$23,421
Earnings (5yr)
$76,435
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$22,786
Earnings (5yr)
$43,071
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,663
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$21,196
Earnings (5yr)
$54,638
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$45,436
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
BachCIP: 3103
Median Debt
$20,125
Earnings (5yr)
$44,415
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3899
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,406
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences
BachCIP: 2609
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (5yr)
$56,245
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,625
Earnings (5yr)
$56,406
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,932
Earnings (5yr)
$46,831
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$21,458
Earnings (5yr)
$53,609
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,128
Earnings (5yr)
$79,949
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$45,975
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$26,264
Earnings (5yr)
$40,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$47,480
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,183
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$47,645
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$19,039
Earnings (5yr)
$51,603
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$45,395
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$103,337
Lifetime Value Added
+$432k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$24,355
Earnings (5yr)
$85,818
Lifetime Value Added
+$282k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
MastCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Lifetime Value Added
+$316k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
MastCIP: 2613
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,746
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$28,227
Earnings (5yr)
$59,004
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$30,854
Earnings (2yr)
$48,432
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
MastCIP: 1305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,997
Lifetime Value Added
+$128k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,153
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Fine and Studio Arts
MastCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$103,521
Lifetime Value Added
+$434k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
MastCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,461
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
MastCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,302
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Natural Resources Management and Policy
MastCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$29,717
Earnings (5yr)
$76,386
Lifetime Value Added
+$201k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,828
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$28,810
Earnings (5yr)
$125,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$619k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,204
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$30,246
Earnings (5yr)
$57,858
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$25,375
Earnings (5yr)
$48,095
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Doctoral Degrees
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$63,635
Earnings (5yr)
$90,021
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
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.