College ROI

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University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington, NC 14,922 Undergrads 73.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$26,547
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$20,109
After Aid
Median Earnings
$61,925
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$20,109
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$61,925
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$54,967
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate73.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time87.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
64.2%
SAT Avg
1,287
SAT Reading
25th: 62064075th: 680
SAT Math
25th: 61063075th: 660
ACT Composite
25th: 242675th: 29

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
+$551k
+$84k
+$67k
Median Cost$20k/yr
+$479k
+$12k
-$6k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$456k
-$11k
-$29k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
35
∞
Median Cost$20k/yr
Never
-8%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-30%
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 Return42%

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-40%
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$22,987
Earnings (4yr)
$33,461
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$245k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,750
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Median Debt
$19,555
Earnings (4yr)
$75,512
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$99,380
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$267k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$16,400
Earnings (4yr)
$65,982
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,315
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$71,964
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$23,980
Earnings (4yr)
$88,219
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$196k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,514
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$35,956
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$223k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$39,812
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,008
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$34,184
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$239k
Median Debt
$22,479
Earnings (4yr)
$42,192
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,995
Earnings (4yr)
$60,414
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,421
Earnings (4yr)
$86,654
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$22,786
Earnings (4yr)
$46,072
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,707
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$21,196
Earnings (4yr)
$66,941
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$46,527
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Median Debt
$20,125
Earnings (4yr)
$50,241
Natl Median: $50,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,597
Natl Median: $46,083
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (4yr)
$50,564
Natl Median: $62,172
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Median Debt
$20,625
Earnings (4yr)
$58,258
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,932
Earnings (4yr)
$49,609
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$21,458
Earnings (4yr)
$60,722
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Median Debt
$15,128
Earnings (4yr)
$86,606
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,696
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Median Debt
$26,264
Earnings (4yr)
$37,968
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$45,289
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,587
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$48,591
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
$19,039
Earnings (4yr)
$52,494
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,632
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (4yr)
$48,024
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$118,289
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$363k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$24,355
Earnings (4yr)
$99,106
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
+$195k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$21,873
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Dispute Resolution
MastCIP: 3028
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,311
Natl Median: $74,725
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,746
Natl Median: $82,527
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$28,227
Earnings (4yr)
$56,340
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Median Debt
$30,854
Earnings (4yr)
$61,981
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,997
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,153
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$334k
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
MastCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $72,563
Lifetime Value Added
-$388k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$99,698
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
+$201k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$84,961
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Gerontology
MastCIP: 3011
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,618
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,402
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
-$259k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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)
$53,362
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$29,717
Earnings (4yr)
$72,403
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,816
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Median Debt
$28,810
Earnings (4yr)
$106,699
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$262k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,194
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$223k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$30,246
Earnings (4yr)
$59,108
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,375
Earnings (4yr)
$50,098
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$243k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,173
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$63,635
Earnings (4yr)
$89,829
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k

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.