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University of South Dakota
Vermillion, SD 5,239 Undergrads 55.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$23,544
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,155
After Aid
Median Earnings
$51,926
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$19,155
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$51,926
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate55.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time86.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
99.0%
SAT Avg
1,122
SAT Reading
25th: 57057575th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 54059575th: 680
ACT Composite
25th: 192275th: 25
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
+$453k
+$56k
-$32k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$384k
-$13k
-$100k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$368k
-$28k
-$116k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-146%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-137%
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-143%
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-84%
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
Associate's Degrees
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$14,947
Earnings (5yr)
$70,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$59,423
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$19,227
Lifetime Value Added
-$360k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,843
Earnings (5yr)
$64,695
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,824
Earnings (5yr)
$62,800
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$23,625
Earnings (5yr)
$52,291
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,464
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$62,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,807
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$61,969
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$291k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (5yr)
$74,965
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,704
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$69,362
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,651
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,113
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$21,125
Earnings (5yr)
$56,837
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,104
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$316k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$21,125
Earnings (2yr)
$27,439
Lifetime Value Added
-$284k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$23,488
Earnings (5yr)
$64,279
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$25,850
Earnings (5yr)
$45,559
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
BachCIP: 3101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,213
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,941
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,625
Earnings (5yr)
$51,388
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,966
Earnings (5yr)
$73,993
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,476
Lifetime Value Added
-$284k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,089
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,742
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,795
Lifetime Value Added
+$265k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$112,617
Earnings (5yr)
$130,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$665k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,845
Earnings (5yr)
$108,829
Lifetime Value Added
+$480k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$41,595
Earnings (5yr)
$57,952
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$44,897
Earnings (5yr)
$63,447
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$77,319
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
Human Services, General
MastCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$34,542
Earnings (5yr)
$74,375
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$29,750
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,272
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,255
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Doctoral Degrees
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$130,943
Lifetime Value Added
+$451k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,365
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$221,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$1095k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
ProfCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$78,933
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
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.