College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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University of Pittsburgh-Bradford

Bradford, PA 980 Undergrads 44.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$29,488
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,630
After Aid
Median Earnings
$66,125
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,630
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$66,125
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate44.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients46.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
90.8%
SAT Avg
1,168
SAT Reading
25th: 52054575th: 630
SAT Math
25th: 51054075th: 630
ACT Composite
25th: 222475th: 31

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
+$564k
+$168k
+$80k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$504k
+$108k
+$20k
Full Cost$29k/yr
+$458k
+$61k
-$27k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
Median Cost$17k/yr
51
33%
Full Cost$29k/yr
Never
-25%
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 Return50%

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 with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Associate's Degrees

Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,850
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$20,012
Earnings (5yr)
$76,839
Lifetime Value Added
+$253k

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$24,188
Earnings (5yr)
$85,705
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,163
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$90,036
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$61,794
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$23,059
Earnings (5yr)
$60,262
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,533
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,740
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$24,989
Earnings (5yr)
$73,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,465
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$285k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,887
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,103
Earnings (5yr)
$55,169
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$77,904
Lifetime Value Added
+$118k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$24,375
Earnings (5yr)
$75,370
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$24,046
Earnings (5yr)
$53,776
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,161
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Social Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 4599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,452
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$48,866
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,137
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,142
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k

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.