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University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
La Crosse, WI 9,194 Undergrads 70.9% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$18,115
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,374
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,378
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$15,374
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$60,378
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate70.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients15.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS84.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
73.3%
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
+$520k
+$123k
+$35k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$465k
+$68k
-$20k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$455k
+$58k
-$30k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
41
∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-36%
Full Cost$18k/yr
Never
-46%
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 Return23%
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-35%
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)
$55,075
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,518
Earnings (5yr)
$78,929
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$73,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
Archeology
BachCIP: 4503
Median Debt
$20,475
Earnings (5yr)
$41,084
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$21,373
Earnings (5yr)
$71,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,335
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$63,725
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,147
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$72,142
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$21,906
Earnings (5yr)
$58,179
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$21,470
Earnings (5yr)
$96,251
Lifetime Value Added
+$260k
Curriculum and Instruction
BachCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$26,550
Earnings (5yr)
$47,290
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,963
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$23,180
Earnings (5yr)
$66,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,976
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$74,278
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$19,125
Earnings (5yr)
$34,538
Lifetime Value Added
-$224k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$20,359
Earnings (5yr)
$49,518
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$57,933
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$23,562
Earnings (5yr)
$43,014
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Insurance
BachCIP: 5217
Median Debt
$17,584
Earnings (5yr)
$68,766
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
$19,390
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,916
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$22,685
Earnings (5yr)
$64,117
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,149
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
BachCIP: 2605
Median Debt
$25,464
Earnings (5yr)
$60,098
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,009
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
BachCIP: 3103
Median Debt
$21,666
Earnings (5yr)
$49,815
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$338k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$84,403
Lifetime Value Added
+$172k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,490
Earnings (5yr)
$53,879
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,282
Earnings (5yr)
$56,291
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Public Administration
BachCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$18,648
Earnings (5yr)
$56,013
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$26,801
Earnings (5yr)
$53,004
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,684
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$24,190
Earnings (5yr)
$52,423
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,647
Earnings (5yr)
$51,024
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$20,122
Earnings (5yr)
$46,844
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$50,961
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Master's Degrees
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$37,488
Earnings (5yr)
$129,711
Lifetime Value Added
+$665k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$200,948
Lifetime Value Added
+$1267k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$73,949
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$20,272
Earnings (5yr)
$68,003
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$25,156
Earnings (5yr)
$54,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
MastCIP: 3103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$41,333
Earnings (5yr)
$59,985
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,552
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$14,465
Earnings (5yr)
$64,458
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$25,247
Earnings (5yr)
$61,311
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Doctoral Degrees
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$56,065
Earnings (5yr)
$79,412
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
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.