College ROI

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University of St Thomas

Saint Paul, MN 6,245 Undergrads 78.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$66,116
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$29,155
After Aid
Median Earnings
$82,136
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$29,155
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$82,136
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$73,739
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate78.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.4
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients20.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS87.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
85.4%
SAT Avg
1,296
SAT Reading
25th: 64062075th: 713
SAT Math
25th: 62063075th: 710
ACT Composite
25th: 252575th: 30

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
+$707k
+$240k
+$222k
Median Cost$29k/yr
+$602k
+$135k
+$117k
Full Cost$66k/yr
+$469k
+$2k
-$16k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
∞
Median Cost$29k/yr
37
112%
Full Cost$66k/yr
Never
-7%
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 Return79%

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-40%
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

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$4,500
Earnings (4yr)
$45,072
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$91,587
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$189k
Median Debt
$24,226
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,735
Earnings (4yr)
$71,619
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$82,396
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,125
Earnings (4yr)
$64,917
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,876
Natl Median: $55,384
Lifetime Value Added
+$569
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$22,454
Earnings (4yr)
$107,938
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$314k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$26,848
Earnings (4yr)
$70,419
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$89,881
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$176k
Median Debt
$26,122
Earnings (4yr)
$93,981
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$208k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$79,390
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,485
Earnings (4yr)
$93,720
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$206k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Biology
BachCIP: 3027
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,732
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,653
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$273k
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$78,381
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$108,187
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$316k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,481
Earnings (4yr)
$77,870
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,058
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$91,683
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,724
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Median Debt
$24,625
Earnings (4yr)
$69,525
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,868
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,114
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$41,209
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$210k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$61,922
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,398
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (4yr)
$59,389
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Real Estate
BachCIP: 5215
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$98,337
Natl Median: $84,821
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$35,960
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
-$256k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,960
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$306k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,909
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,015
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,712
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,540
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $104,114
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $146,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$62,012
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Median Debt
$61,317
Earnings (4yr)
$149,456
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$616k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$64,493
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Median Debt
$48,861
Earnings (4yr)
$68,816
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Median Debt
$42,843
Earnings (4yr)
$118,888
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$351k
Median Debt
$43,322
Earnings (4yr)
$119,571
Natl Median: $120,083
Lifetime Value Added
+$357k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$94,620
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$121,236
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$351k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,754
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$253k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other
MastCIP: 1599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,422
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
MastCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,219
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $122,873
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$107,807
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$255k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,024
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,020
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Real Estate
MastCIP: 5215
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $135,104
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Religious Education
MastCIP: 3904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,328
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$65,240
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,391
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Systems Engineering
MastCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $144,565
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,763
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,671
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
$45,864
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$46,486
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,196
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,086
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,517
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
Gr-CertCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,921
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $122,843
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
Gr-CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,837
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$123,235
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Education, Other
DocCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,635
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
DocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$65,830
Earnings (4yr)
$84,830
Natl Median: $98,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$74,968
Earnings (4yr)
$89,706
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,934
Natl Median: $63,395
Lifetime Value Added
-$259k

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,406
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,802
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.