College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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University of Northern Colorado

Greeley, CO 5,598 Undergrads 57.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$30,741
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,711
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,794
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,711
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$55,794
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$56,980
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate57.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)21.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
85.9%
SAT Avg
1,082
SAT Reading
25th: 49055075th: 610
SAT Math
25th: 46052075th: 580
ACT Composite
25th: 212475th: 26

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
+$495k
+$25k
+$9k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$428k
-$42k
-$59k
Full Cost$31k/yr
+$384k
-$86k
-$102k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
54
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-87%
Full Cost$31k/yr
Never
-92%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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-71%

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-73%

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 →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,104
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,044
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,715
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
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Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,256
Earnings (4yr)
$53,470
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
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Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,278
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$65,414
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
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Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,520
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
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Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (4yr)
$57,508
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$95,775
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$261k
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Median Debt
$18,468
Earnings (4yr)
$55,282
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
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Median Debt
$15,111
Earnings (4yr)
$55,946
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
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Median Debt
$18,875
Earnings (4yr)
$46,089
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
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Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,025
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
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Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$46,455
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$46,502
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,369
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,989
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,921
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
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History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,423
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
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International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,967
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
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Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$21,600
Earnings (4yr)
$57,603
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$338k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,939
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,643
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
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Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$20,335
Earnings (4yr)
$37,749
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k
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Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$45,979
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,363
Natl Median: $50,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
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Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,186
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,783
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,887
Earnings (4yr)
$49,455
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
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Median Debt
$20,503
Earnings (4yr)
$83,712
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$169k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
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Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,950
Earnings (4yr)
$48,154
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
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Median Debt
$17,044
Earnings (4yr)
$51,008
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,016
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,830
Natl Median: $57,887
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
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Median Debt
$20,275
Earnings (4yr)
$45,008
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
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Median Debt
$20,852
Earnings (4yr)
$47,303
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$98,648
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,341
Natl Median: $73,769
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,241
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,426
Earnings (4yr)
$62,559
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
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Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$48,696
Earnings (4yr)
$65,278
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$53,071
Earnings (4yr)
$71,306
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,269
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,468
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
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Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$32,995
Earnings (4yr)
$53,688
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
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Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,929
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,232
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,524
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)
-
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,122
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,645
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$325k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$114,527
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$334k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,526
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
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Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,551
Earnings (4yr)
$62,267
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,848
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
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Median Debt
$62,136
Earnings (4yr)
$52,060
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$223k
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Median Debt
$16,798
Earnings (4yr)
$65,117
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
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Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,138
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,096
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$84,582
Earnings (4yr)
$73,007
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$90,844
Natl Median: $88,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$88,155
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
DocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,592
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$116,557
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,739
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
DocCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,993
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,794
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,822
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.