College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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University of Rochester

Rochester, NY 6,331 Undergrads 88.2% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$85,962
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$29,278
After Aid
Median Earnings
$87,197
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$29,278
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$87,197
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$79,042
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate88.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients17.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS84.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
40.1%
SAT Avg
1,488
SAT Reading
25th: 68070075th: 750
SAT Math
25th: 73074575th: 790
ACT Composite
25th: 313375th: 34

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
+$745k
+$278k
+$261k
Median Cost$29k/yr
+$640k
+$173k
+$155k
Full Cost$86k/yr
+$436k
-$31k
-$49k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
∞
Median Cost$29k/yr
34
148%
Full Cost$86k/yr
Never
-16%
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 Return61%

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-47%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,044
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,122
Earnings (4yr)
$54,937
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$95,957
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$222k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$93,367
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$203k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$92,102
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $104,864
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$155,464
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$672k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,946
Earnings (4yr)
$109,324
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$324k
Median Debt
$18,175
Earnings (4yr)
$105,183
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$293k
Engineering Science
BachCIP: 1413
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,782
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,526
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,702
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
BachCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $87,441
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,838
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (4yr)
$67,531
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,856
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Median Debt
$21,625
Earnings (4yr)
$102,625
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$94,178
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$95,060
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,569
Earnings (4yr)
$34,888
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$265k
Median Debt
$19,625
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,510
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$53,520
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$90,038
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$65,000
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,366
Earnings (4yr)
$68,333
Natl Median: $56,812
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$388k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $235,700
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,121
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$105,240
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
+$232k
Median Debt
$40,170
Earnings (4yr)
$138,177
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$518k
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,527
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$38,862
Earnings (4yr)
$74,005
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,232
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
MastCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$100,807
Natl Median: $111,169
Lifetime Value Added
+$194k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,486
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$140,974
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$518k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$95,894
Natl Median: $100,487
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,524
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$46,751
Earnings (4yr)
$149,877
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$619k
Materials Sciences
MastCIP: 4010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,810
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$85,410
Earnings (4yr)
$57,359
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,750
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$44,399
Earnings (4yr)
$42,543
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$333k
Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$127,533
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
+$426k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$34,054
Earnings (4yr)
$119,636
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$358k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,446
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,605
Earnings (4yr)
$70,327
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,413
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,414
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$94,839
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
+$246k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,077
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,166
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,147
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,709
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,444
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,683
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,983
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,848
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,566
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)
-
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
DocCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $178,476
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,031
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,173
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 (2yr)
$63,005
Natl Median: $87,373
Lifetime Value Added
-$268k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$97,103
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,831
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Genetics
DocCIP: 2608
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $102,123
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,039
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Materials Sciences
DocCIP: 4010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $144,084
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: $101,435
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
DocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$75,030
Earnings (4yr)
$52,257
Natl Median: $59,592
Lifetime Value Added
-$372k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $108,943
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
DocCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,449
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
DocCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,153
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,640
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,908
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,410
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Statistics
DocCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $156,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,794
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,168
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,034
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$170,110
Earnings (4yr)
$106,097
Natl Median: $112,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k

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.