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University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, WA 1,631 Undergrads 75.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$75,509
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$38,920
After Aid
Median Earnings
$69,594
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$38,920
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$69,594
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate75.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients17.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS72.1%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
76.3%
SAT Avg
1,332
SAT Reading
25th: 61564075th: 710
SAT Math
25th: 57062075th: 680
ACT Composite
25th: 272975th: 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
+$590k
+$194k
+$106k
Median Cost$39k/yr
+$450k
+$53k
-$34k
Full Cost$76k/yr
+$318k
-$78k
-$166k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
32
∞
Median Cost$39k/yr
Never
-25%
Full Cost$76k/yr
Never
-61%
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-24%
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-72%
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
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$423k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$257k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,309
Earnings (5yr)
$57,877
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$82,150
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
BachCIP: 2604
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$264k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$296k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$101,929
Lifetime Value Added
+$218k
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1603
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,024
Lifetime Value Added
-$204k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$69,224
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$31,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$315k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$26,022
Earnings (5yr)
$48,354
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$21,646
Earnings (5yr)
$78,034
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$406k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$25,798
Earnings (5yr)
$65,403
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$81,474
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$36,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$290k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$345k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$22,801
Earnings (5yr)
$57,451
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,554
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,387
Lifetime Value Added
-$201k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,370
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Sociology and Anthropology
BachCIP: 4513
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (2yr)
$22,578
Lifetime Value Added
-$400k
Master's Degrees
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$39,792
Earnings (5yr)
$74,326
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$91,387
Earnings (5yr)
$82,371
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Doctoral Degrees
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$119,487
Earnings (5yr)
$84,888
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
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.