College ROI

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University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown

Johnstown, PA 1,808 Undergrads 51.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$30,349
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,202
After Aid
Median Earnings
$73,701
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,202
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$73,701
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$66,125
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate51.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.4
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients30.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
94.8%
SAT Avg
1,105
SAT Reading
25th: 50056575th: 610
SAT Math
25th: 48556075th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: 222475th: 27

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
+$642k
+$175k
+$158k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$577k
+$110k
+$92k
Full Cost$30k/yr
+$533k
+$66k
+$49k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
37
141%
Full Cost$30k/yr
45
44%
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 Return179%

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-3%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Certificates

Area Studies
CertCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,939
Natl Median: $52,845
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$64,681
Natl Median: $58,705
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,823
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$24,188
Earnings (4yr)
$82,966
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Median Debt
$26,558
Earnings (4yr)
$63,707
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Median Debt
$23,815
Earnings (4yr)
$62,698
Natl Median: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$62,744
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Median Debt
$23,059
Earnings (4yr)
$57,594
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Median Debt
$24,750
Earnings (4yr)
$97,324
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,206
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$66k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$72,587
Natl Median: $76,549
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$77,608
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Median Debt
$26,489
Earnings (4yr)
$110,417
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$372k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (4yr)
$108,680
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$359k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,837
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,775
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$24,989
Earnings (4yr)
$76,549
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (4yr)
$102,572
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$313k
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (4yr)
$95,087
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,456
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Median Debt
$22,662
Earnings (4yr)
$83,516
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,682
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Median Debt
$26,486
Earnings (4yr)
$81,117
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$149k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,887
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Literature
BachCIP: 2314
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,749
Natl Median: $46,173
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$24,188
Earnings (4yr)
$75,461
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$26,879
Earnings (4yr)
$56,143
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Median Debt
$25,190
Earnings (4yr)
$90,768
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$223k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,415
Earnings (4yr)
$66,231
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,103
Earnings (4yr)
$54,379
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,046
Earnings (4yr)
$57,012
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,069
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$51,654
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,202
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k

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.