College ROI

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University of San Diego

San Diego, CA 5,671 Undergrads 81.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$78,720
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$30,365
After Aid
Median Earnings
$85,309
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$30,365
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$85,309
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$86,522
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate81.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients20.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS82.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
52.4%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$731k
+$264k
+$246k
Median Cost$30k/yr
+$622k
+$155k
+$137k
Full Cost$79k/yr
+$448k
-$19k
-$37k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
∞
Median Cost$30k/yr
36
126%
Full Cost$79k/yr
Never
-13%
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 Return66%

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-45%
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
$24,969
Earnings (4yr)
$109,142
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$319k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation
BachCIP: 0408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Natl Median: $65,003
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$83,380
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,118
Earnings (4yr)
$59,950
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Median Debt
$19,899
Earnings (4yr)
$79,678
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,523
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,913
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$149,847
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$626k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,256
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,433
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,276
Earnings (4yr)
$110,314
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$328k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,752
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,094
Earnings (4yr)
$93,099
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,348
Earnings (4yr)
$85,285
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$137k
Median Debt
$24,100
Earnings (4yr)
$61,509
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,474
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,569
Earnings (4yr)
$83,562
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,187
Earnings (4yr)
$91,848
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$187k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,517
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$72,910
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
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
$25,344
Earnings (4yr)
$62,301
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$74,178
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Real Estate
BachCIP: 5215
Median Debt
$19,699
Earnings (4yr)
$78,044
Natl Median: $84,821
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$69,974
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,338
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Legal Support Services
PB-CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,873
Natl Median: $55,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,060
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$48,756
Earnings (4yr)
$163,311
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$733k
Median Debt
$100,657
Earnings (4yr)
$72,038
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$141,878
Natl Median: $121,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$548k
Median Debt
$31,918
Earnings (4yr)
$148,025
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
+$601k
Median Debt
$44,186
Earnings (4yr)
$68,584
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,527
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$33,705
Earnings (4yr)
$91,474
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Median Debt
$53,519
Earnings (4yr)
$77,579
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,050
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,121
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,775
Natl Median: $95,627
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,855
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$135,168
Earnings (4yr)
$148,235
Natl Median: $101,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$603k
Median Debt
$48,680
Earnings (4yr)
$104,240
Natl Median: $101,441
Lifetime Value Added
+$222k
Median Debt
$107,772
Earnings (4yr)
$80,953
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Median Debt
$56,673
Earnings (4yr)
$55,177
Natl Median: $70,267
Lifetime Value Added
-$213k
Real Estate
MastCIP: 5215
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$155,948
Natl Median: $135,104
Lifetime Value Added
+$670k
Median Debt
$119,008
Earnings (4yr)
$124,822
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$401k
Median Debt
$48,077
Earnings (4yr)
$137,533
Natl Median: $82,399
Lifetime Value Added
+$511k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,030
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,222
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $114,810
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,167
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Median Debt
$54,416
Earnings (4yr)
$75,964
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Legal Support Services
Gr-CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
$18,540
Earnings (4yr)
$74,783
Natl Median: $69,929
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Median Debt
$105,176
Earnings (4yr)
$178,950
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$566k

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$145,850
Earnings (4yr)
$134,065
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$237k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,836
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$145,372
Natl Median: $133,099
Lifetime Value Added
+$320k

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.