College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK 2,447 Undergrads 71.1% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$63,093
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,678
After Aid
Median Earnings
$61,408
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,678
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$61,408
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate71.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
58.0%
SAT Avg
1,325
SAT Reading
25th: 59060575th: 740
SAT Math
25th: 56061575th: 750
ACT Composite
25th: 242675th: 33

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
+$528k
+$131k
+$43k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$443k
+$46k
-$42k
Full Cost$63k/yr
+$301k
-$96k
-$184k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
39
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-49%
Full Cost$63k/yr
Never
-81%
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-58%

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-80%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,658
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$107,874
Lifetime Value Added
+$317k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$311k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (2yr)
$66,171
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1517
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$96,314
Lifetime Value Added
+$231k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (5yr)
$85,797
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,774
Lifetime Value Added
-$316k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$16,764
Earnings (5yr)
$90,509
Lifetime Value Added
+$187k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (2yr)
$18,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$387k
Petroleum Engineering
BachCIP: 1425
Median Debt
$26,950
Earnings (5yr)
$104,091
Lifetime Value Added
+$289k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$45,647
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$64,493
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$118,930
Lifetime Value Added
+$558k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,273
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,321
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians
MastCIP: 1517
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$169,295
Lifetime Value Added
+$985k
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies
MastCIP: 2202
Median Debt
$50,960
Earnings (5yr)
$72,656
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k

Doctoral Degrees

English Language and Literature, General
DocCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,971
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$90,365
Earnings (5yr)
$84,820
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k

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.