University of Northwestern-St Paul

Saint Paul, MN 1,442 Undergrads 66.3% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$51,325

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$27,705

After Aid

Median Earnings

$57,471

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$27,705

Peer Midpoint: $20,081

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation

$57,471

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment

$50,755

Peer Midpoint: $53,763

Graduation Rate66.3%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age22.1

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients32.4%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time91.8%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS74.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

93.5%

SAT Avg

1,173

SAT Reading

25th: 430-75th: 608

SAT Math

25th: 438-75th: 663

ACT Composite

25th: 20-75th: 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

+$515k

+$48k

+$31k

Median Cost$28k/yr

+$416k

-$51k

-$69k

Full Cost$51k/yr

+$331k

-$136k

-$154k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$28k/yr

Never

-69%

Full Cost$51k/yr

Never

-83%

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 Return-61%

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-78%

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

Bible/Biblical Studies

CertCIP: 3902

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $46,192

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

BachCIP: 5203

Median Debt

$25,038

Earnings (4yr)

$77,128

Natl Median: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

+$84k

Applied Mathematics

BachCIP: 2703

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $91,532

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Bible/Biblical Studies

BachCIP: 3902

Median Debt

$24,218

Earnings (4yr)

$51,761

Natl Median: $44,533

Lifetime Value Added

-$116k

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

BachCIP: 2602

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,466

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

$22,500

Earnings (5yr)

$68,797

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

+$10k

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$20,598

Earnings (4yr)

$68,086

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

+$15k

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology

BachCIP: 4228

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,523

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

$18,803

Earnings (2yr)

$35,060

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

-$246k

Computer Science

BachCIP: 1107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $107,009

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

BachCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$64,339

Natl Median: $55,378

Lifetime Value Added

-$14k

Design and Applied Arts

BachCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$44,628

Natl Median: $51,490

Lifetime Value Added

-$176k

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,775

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Engineering-Related Fields

BachCIP: 1515

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $89,619

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$38,522

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

-$228k

Finance and Financial Management Services

BachCIP: 5208

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $83,343

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Graphic Communications

BachCIP: 1003

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $43,283

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health/Medical Preparatory Programs

BachCIP: 5111

Median Debt

$20,000

Earnings (5yr)

$43,749

Natl Median: $61,911

Lifetime Value Added

-$191k

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies

BachCIP: 3023

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,907

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

International Business

BachCIP: 5211

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $73,201

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Management Information Systems and Services

BachCIP: 5212

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $83,290

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

BachCIP: 5213

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $86,176

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Marketing

BachCIP: 5214

Median Debt

$17,750

Earnings (4yr)

$63,653

Natl Median: $69,303

Lifetime Value Added

-$19k

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology

BachCIP: 3903

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $40,103

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

$18,000

Earnings (2yr)

$32,382

Natl Median: $55,693

Lifetime Value Added

-$270k

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$46,177

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

-$163k

Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries

BachCIP: 3907

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$37,525

Natl Median: $42,915

Lifetime Value Added

-$243k

Philosophy

BachCIP: 3801

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,455

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$20,000

Earnings (4yr)

$46,555

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$159k

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

BachCIP: 0909

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$54,276

Natl Median: $63,560

Lifetime Value Added

-$104k

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

BachCIP: 0907

Median Debt

$20,399

Earnings (4yr)

$50,708

Natl Median: $50,497

Lifetime Value Added

-$125k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

BachCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (4yr)

$78,661

Natl Median: $88,910

Lifetime Value Added

+$96k

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

BachCIP: 2313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,471

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

BachCIP: 3105

Median Debt

$23,250

Earnings (4yr)

$46,885

Natl Median: $54,562

Lifetime Value Added

-$157k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (4yr)

$45,195

Natl Median: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

-$171k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$48,082

Natl Median: $51,389

Lifetime Value Added

-$147k

Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language

BachCIP: 1314

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,259

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Theological and Ministerial Studies

BachCIP: 3906

Median Debt

$19,500

Earnings (4yr)

$47,802

Natl Median: $44,535

Lifetime Value Added

-$149k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations

MastCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$32,500

Earnings (4yr)

$94,858

Natl Median: $103,485

Lifetime Value Added

+$144k

Education, General

MastCIP: 1301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,824

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Resources Management and Services

MastCIP: 5210

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$93,804

Natl Median: $83,558

Lifetime Value Added

+$119k

Human Services, General

MastCIP: 4400

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,050

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Theological and Ministerial Studies

MastCIP: 3906

Median Debt

$24,443

Earnings (4yr)

$60,095

Natl Median: $61,300

Lifetime Value Added

-$163k

Graduate Certificates

Business Administration, Management and Operations

Gr-CertCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $94,506

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. 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.