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University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA 7,599 Undergrads 67.0% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$21,627
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,609
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,177
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$14,609
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$55,177
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate67.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients25.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.4%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
94.4%
SAT Avg
1,120
SAT Reading
25th: 46053575th: 580
SAT Math
25th: 40055075th: 630
ACT Composite
25th: 202375th: 26
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
+$479k
+$82k
-$6k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$426k
+$30k
-$58k
Full Cost$22k/yr
+$401k
+$5k
-$83k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-110%
Full Cost$22k/yr
Never
-107%
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-89%
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-69%
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
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$81,462
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,845
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Lifetime Value Added
-$327k
Apparel and Textiles
BachCIP: 1909
Median Debt
$20,625
Earnings (5yr)
$58,815
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Biological and Physical Sciences
BachCIP: 3001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,909
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,720
Earnings (5yr)
$59,773
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$70,623
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$16,562
Earnings (5yr)
$52,777
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$17,537
Earnings (5yr)
$61,505
Lifetime Value Added
+$1k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$22,770
Earnings (5yr)
$97,609
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
Construction Management
BachCIP: 5220
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$83,917
Lifetime Value Added
+$171k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$20,278
Earnings (5yr)
$54,690
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$21,965
Earnings (5yr)
$50,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$41,807
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$17,169
Earnings (5yr)
$76,060
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$71,643
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,668
Earnings (5yr)
$47,249
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$18,770
Earnings (5yr)
$71,845
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$40,846
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,197
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Gerontology
BachCIP: 3011
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,927
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Graphic Communications
BachCIP: 1003
Median Debt
$19,184
Earnings (5yr)
$49,336
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$52,215
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 5199
Median Debt
$20,625
Earnings (5yr)
$47,446
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,900
Earnings (5yr)
$50,182
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$20,700
Earnings (5yr)
$43,850
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1506
Median Debt
$19,829
Earnings (5yr)
$84,528
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$39,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$89,797
Lifetime Value Added
+$215k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$16,661
Earnings (5yr)
$67,282
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$17,692
Earnings (5yr)
$52,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$38,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
BachCIP: 3101
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,941
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,202
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,150
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Public Administration
BachCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$20,082
Earnings (5yr)
$55,244
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$57,636
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (5yr)
$49,552
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Real Estate
BachCIP: 5215
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$69,867
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$278k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,414
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$15,388
Earnings (5yr)
$46,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$20,625
Earnings (5yr)
$50,306
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$23,200
Earnings (5yr)
$46,217
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$47,443
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language
BachCIP: 1314
Median Debt
$25,335
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,173
Lifetime Value Added
+$320k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$90,312
Lifetime Value Added
+$329k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$37,130
Earnings (5yr)
$62,739
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$29,955
Earnings (5yr)
$61,422
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$27,038
Earnings (5yr)
$83,785
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$13,250
Earnings (2yr)
$47,952
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Library Science and Administration
MastCIP: 2501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,311
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,157
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,729
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,795
Earnings (5yr)
$57,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$32,500
Earnings (5yr)
$53,462
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,774
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
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.