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University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 6,488 Undergrads 86.7% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$82,600
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$30,248
After Aid
Median Earnings
$79,042
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$30,248
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$79,042
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate86.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients16.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS84.2%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
35.9%
SAT Avg
1,480
SAT Reading
25th: 69070075th: 750
SAT Math
25th: 71074575th: 790
ACT Composite
25th: 313375th: 34
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
+$660k
+$263k
+$175k
Median Cost$30k/yr
+$551k
+$154k
+$66k
Full Cost$83k/yr
+$362k
-$34k
-$122k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$30k/yr
42
61%
Full Cost$83k/yr
Never
-41%
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 Return13%
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-61%
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
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,122
Earnings (5yr)
$79,479
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$101,457
Lifetime Value Added
+$246k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$98,040
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$105,189
Lifetime Value Added
+$274k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (2yr)
$83,177
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,946
Earnings (5yr)
$102,906
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$18,175
Earnings (5yr)
$108,714
Lifetime Value Added
+$300k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,046
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (5yr)
$76,594
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,856
Lifetime Value Added
-$230k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$119,738
Lifetime Value Added
+$382k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$92,363
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,569
Earnings (5yr)
$34,412
Lifetime Value Added
-$279k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,944
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$61,850
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$92,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,923
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Social Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 4599
Median Debt
$21,366
Earnings (5yr)
$72,566
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$391k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$40,170
Earnings (5yr)
$123,998
Lifetime Value Added
+$589k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$38,862
Earnings (5yr)
$64,900
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Finance and Financial Management Services
MastCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$140,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$733k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$44,399
Earnings (5yr)
$41,609
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$34,054
Earnings (5yr)
$112,262
Lifetime Value Added
+$489k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,446
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$41,605
Earnings (5yr)
$65,528
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Graduate Certificates
Educational Administration and Supervision
Gr-CertCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Lifetime Value Added
+$245k
Doctoral Degrees
Education, General
DocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$115,762
Lifetime Value Added
+$302k
Music
DocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$75,030
Earnings (5yr)
$53,994
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
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.