College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MS 10,075 Undergrads 53.3% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$26,527
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,172
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,403
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$21,172
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$49,403
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$47,355
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate53.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)23.3
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients48.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time86.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS61.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
99.1%
SAT Avg
1,190
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 202475th: 29

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
+$442k
-$28k
-$44k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$366k
-$104k
-$120k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$347k
-$123k
-$140k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
Never
-158%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-146%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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-160%

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-91%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,962
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$16,550
Earnings (4yr)
$65,861
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,436
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
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Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,913
Earnings (4yr)
$82,848
Natl Median: $82,320
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
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Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,095
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
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Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (4yr)
$45,471
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
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Median Debt
$20,238
Earnings (4yr)
$52,089
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,328
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,856
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,168
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
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Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,161
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
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Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$51,381
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
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Median Debt
$19,625
Earnings (4yr)
$81,740
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$145k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,742
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,625
Earnings (4yr)
$46,109
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
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Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Data Processing
BachCIP: 1103
Median Debt
$22,406
Earnings (4yr)
$55,514
Natl Median: $75,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
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Median Debt
$16,011
Earnings (4yr)
$50,957
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
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Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$30,864
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$272k
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Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$36,771
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
-$220k
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Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,274
Earnings (4yr)
$39,214
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
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Median Debt
$22,070
Earnings (4yr)
$55,959
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
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Median Debt
$18,667
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,720
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,142
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
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History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,513
Earnings (4yr)
$44,586
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,985
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
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Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$33,936
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$245k
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Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,402
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
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Median Debt
$27,474
Earnings (4yr)
$89,904
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,369
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,076
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$16,462
Earnings (4yr)
$41,293
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
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Median Debt
$21,704
Earnings (4yr)
$48,196
Natl Median: $53,266
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
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Median Debt
$22,296
Earnings (4yr)
$44,963
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
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Median Debt
$21,540
Earnings (4yr)
$30,340
Natl Median: $36,949
Lifetime Value Added
-$277k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,531
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
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Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,210
Earnings (4yr)
$51,714
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,150
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,707
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
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Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,056
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
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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
$21,383
Earnings (5yr)
$51,504
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,919
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,283
Earnings (4yr)
$37,925
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$210k
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Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$21,667
Earnings (4yr)
$47,419
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
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Median Debt
$18,273
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,304
Earnings (4yr)
$72,411
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
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Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (4yr)
$51,956
Natl Median: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
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Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$42,390
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
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Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$36,907
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,909
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
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Median Debt
$20,055
Earnings (4yr)
$40,932
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
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Median Debt
$19,066
Earnings (4yr)
$44,990
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
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Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$38,599
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$205k
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Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,258
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,920
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
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Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,276
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$33,768
Earnings (4yr)
$87,139
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,526
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$35,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,218
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,572
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$69,108
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,223
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,640
Natl Median: $66,523
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,524
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,769
Natl Median: $56,301
Lifetime Value Added
-$259k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,101
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$265k
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Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $114,668
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,434
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
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Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$40,822
Earnings (4yr)
$55,930
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$38,270
Earnings (4yr)
$51,523
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$233k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,482
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$243k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,200
Earnings (4yr)
$54,457
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$204k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,650
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$241k
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Median Debt
$29,865
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,218
Earnings (4yr)
$53,118
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k
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Doctoral Degrees

Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,983
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: $77,931
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,427
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
$59,550
Earnings (4yr)
$74,802
Natl Median: $87,373
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
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Median Debt
$59,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,809
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,831
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,039
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,734
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
DocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,592
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,514
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$75,927
Earnings (4yr)
$105,702
Natl Median: $98,707
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
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Median Debt
$70,211
Earnings (4yr)
$191,713
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$691k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,168
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.