College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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University of Rhode Island

Kingston, RI 13,381 Undergrads 72.0% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$34,321
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,440
After Aid
Median Earnings
$73,243
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$21,440
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$73,243
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$69,743
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate72.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients22.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
72.2%
SAT Avg
1,160
SAT Reading
25th: 52060075th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 50059075th: 630
ACT Composite
25th: -2875th: -

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
+$639k
+$172k
+$154k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$561k
+$95k
+$77k
Full Cost$34k/yr
+$515k
+$48k
+$31k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
39
100%
Full Cost$34k/yr
50
25%
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 Return141%

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-16%
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

Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
CertCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,263
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$22,458
Earnings (4yr)
$86,076
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,588
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$19,613
Earnings (4yr)
$50,203
Natl Median: $49,634
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,426
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
Median Debt
$23,594
Earnings (4yr)
$64,328
Natl Median: $57,640
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,403
Natl Median: $58,494
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$80,379
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Median Debt
$26,234
Earnings (4yr)
$96,532
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$255k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$79,692
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$77,681
Natl Median: $66,697
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Median Debt
$26,816
Earnings (4yr)
$103,525
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$308k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$24,231
Earnings (4yr)
$79,457
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$80,478
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Median Debt
$22,813
Earnings (4yr)
$64,520
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Median Debt
$20,505
Earnings (4yr)
$60,922
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (4yr)
$88,915
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Median Debt
$26,101
Earnings (4yr)
$100,975
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$289k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,402
Earnings (4yr)
$61,079
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$33,972
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$245k
Median Debt
$19,845
Earnings (4yr)
$77,224
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,446
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$77,225
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$106,153
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$328k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,524
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
BachCIP: 0302
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (4yr)
$72,311
Natl Median: $56,185
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Median Debt
$19,888
Earnings (2yr)
$36,668
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$44,983
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Median Debt
$21,875
Earnings (4yr)
$87,196
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,272
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,348
Natl Median: $47,243
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,858
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Median Debt
$23,773
Earnings (4yr)
$90,953
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$56,761
Natl Median: $55,086
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,001
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,416
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$90,399
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$208k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$26,949
Earnings (4yr)
$52,115
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,488
Natl Median: $66,387
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,987
Earnings (4yr)
$75,011
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$22,125
Earnings (4yr)
$73,746
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Median Debt
$24,458
Earnings (4yr)
$89,901
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,346
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Median Debt
$19,737
Earnings (4yr)
$59,964
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Ocean Engineering
BachCIP: 1424
Median Debt
$26,294
Earnings (4yr)
$90,901
Natl Median: $89,337
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,567
Earnings (4yr)
$60,559
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,571
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,697
Natl Median: $73,721
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Median Debt
$22,214
Earnings (4yr)
$72,328
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$96,020
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$251k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,625
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Median Debt
$23,830
Earnings (4yr)
$67,384
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Median Debt
$22,615
Earnings (4yr)
$66,738
Natl Median: $56,812
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$53,802
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,875
Earnings (4yr)
$56,999
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$64,916
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Median Debt
$23,817
Earnings (4yr)
$45,571
Natl Median: $45,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $128,842
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$78,471
Natl Median: $79,861
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,346
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,875
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,439
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$93,081
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,913
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,371
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,793
Earnings (4yr)
$108,248
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,468
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,997
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$113,331
Natl Median: $90,984
Lifetime Value Added
+$317k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$71,507
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$128,646
Natl Median: $121,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$450k
Median Debt
$22,101
Earnings (4yr)
$66,768
Natl Median: $62,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,527
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,909
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
MastCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,281
Natl Median: $72,563
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,523
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$83,661
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,289
Natl Median: $58,524
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $119,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,627
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$56,115
Natl Median: $56,301
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,229
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Ocean Engineering
MastCIP: 1424
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,732
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,349
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,020
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$33,897
Earnings (4yr)
$129,967
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$462k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,816
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$78,288
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,168
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,194
Natl Median: $72,959
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,653
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $141,187
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$98,161
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Computer Science
DocCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $178,476
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
DocCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $135,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
DocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $87,373
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,673
Natl Median: $65,831
Lifetime Value Added
-$274k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,039
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $137,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
DocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,070
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $136,696
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $119,220
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$66,446
Earnings (4yr)
$82,556
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
$49,650
Earnings (4yr)
$137,117
Natl Median: $138,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$291k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,099
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.