College ROI

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University of Northwestern-St Paul

Saint Paul, MN 1,442 Undergrads 68.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$51,208
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,688
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,874
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,688
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$56,874
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$56,687
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate68.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)22.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
93.5%
SAT Avg
1,173
SAT Reading
25th: 43051575th: 608
SAT Math
25th: 43852575th: 663
ACT Composite
25th: 202475th: 28

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
+$504k
+$34k
+$17k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$418k
-$52k
-$68k
Full Cost$51k/yr
+$319k
-$151k
-$167k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
48
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-80%
Full Cost$51k/yr
Never
-91%
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-74%

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-82%

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: $46,192
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$77,128
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
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Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,761
Natl Median: $44,533
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$18,875
Earnings (5yr)
$68,533
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
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Median Debt
$21,454
Earnings (4yr)
$68,086
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,523
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$232k
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Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,339
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,628
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,619
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$38,522
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$214k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,283
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,907
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$90,513
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$189k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,653
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,103
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,175
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
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Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,177
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Natl Median: $42,915
Lifetime Value Added
-$291k
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Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$46,555
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$232k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,708
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
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Median Debt
$23,552
Earnings (4yr)
$78,661
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$46,885
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,195
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
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Median Debt
$24,659
Earnings (4yr)
$48,082
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,259
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,625
Earnings (4yr)
$47,802
Natl Median: $44,535
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$94,858
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
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Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,050
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,095
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
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Graduate Certificates

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. 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.