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University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Eau Claire, WI 8,995 Undergrads 65.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$21,014
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,948
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,561
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$16,948
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,561
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate65.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.2%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
76.1%
SAT Avg
1,190
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 212475th: 27
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
+$506k
+$109k
+$21k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$445k
+$48k
-$40k
Full Cost$21k/yr
+$430k
+$34k
-$54k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
46
∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
Never
-65%
Full Cost$21k/yr
Never
-72%
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-27%
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-53%
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
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,671
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$22,437
Earnings (5yr)
$76,121
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$236k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,262
Earnings (5yr)
$59,053
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,550
Earnings (5yr)
$65,534
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$23,093
Earnings (5yr)
$60,104
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$57,987
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$19,140
Earnings (5yr)
$54,467
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$20,494
Earnings (5yr)
$103,420
Lifetime Value Added
+$308k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$20,437
Earnings (5yr)
$54,413
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$21,875
Earnings (5yr)
$68,243
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$23,380
Earnings (5yr)
$45,418
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$20,290
Earnings (5yr)
$76,102
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$24,437
Earnings (5yr)
$45,142
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$21,001
Earnings (5yr)
$55,942
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,031
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$21,850
Earnings (5yr)
$83,643
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,842
Earnings (5yr)
$54,139
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$22,875
Earnings (5yr)
$39,213
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,270
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,373
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,223
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$21,374
Earnings (5yr)
$85,644
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$75,907
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$23,625
Earnings (5yr)
$69,642
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$25,557
Earnings (5yr)
$45,767
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,987
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$19,780
Earnings (5yr)
$63,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,760
Earnings (5yr)
$48,478
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$18,593
Earnings (5yr)
$71,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$22,628
Earnings (5yr)
$60,794
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,942
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,190
Earnings (5yr)
$37,242
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,346
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$23,550
Earnings (5yr)
$44,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$19,445
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$31,909
Earnings (5yr)
$114,897
Lifetime Value Added
+$536k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,689
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Doctoral Degrees
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
DocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$52,094
Earnings (5yr)
$125,445
Lifetime Value Added
+$420k
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.