College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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University of the District of Columbia

Washington, DC 3,080 Undergrads 29.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$20,911
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,693
After Aid
Median Earnings
$44,236
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,693
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$44,236
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate29.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients44.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time37.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS56.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$390k
-$6k
-$94k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$337k
-$59k
-$147k
Full Cost$21k/yr
+$315k
-$81k
-$169k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-278%
Full Cost$21k/yr
Never
-225%
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-289%

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-115%
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

Bioethics/Medical Ethics
AssocCIP: 5132
Median Debt
$14,836
Earnings (5yr)
$92,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$396k
Education, General
AssocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,549
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Legal Professions and Studies, Other
AssocCIP: 2299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,278
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$16,670
Earnings (5yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (2yr)
$52,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Bioethics/Medical Ethics
BachCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$80,336
Lifetime Value Added
+$180k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,141
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$30,875
Earnings (5yr)
$69,464
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$84,616
Lifetime Value Added
+$176k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$51,085
Earnings (5yr)
$57,220
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate)
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
$37,650
Earnings (5yr)
$61,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$25,637
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,383
Earnings (5yr)
$58,850
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$44,000
Earnings (5yr)
$40,620
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k

Master's Degrees

Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$56,776
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k

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.