College ROI

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University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Oshkosh, WI 6,877 Undergrads 59.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$19,652
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,305
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,730
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,305
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$59,730
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$55,548
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate59.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients26.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time86.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
86.5%
SAT Avg
1,090
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 182175th: 25

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
+$534k
+$67k
+$49k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$482k
+$15k
-$2k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$463k
-$4k
-$22k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-5%
Full Cost$20k/yr
Never
-30%
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 Return48%

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-31%
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
$6,217
Earnings (4yr)
$43,877
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$18,645
Earnings (4yr)
$79,217
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,035
Earnings (4yr)
$66,541
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$22,033
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,542
Earnings (4yr)
$53,507
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$79,228
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$149k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,138
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,697
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,061
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,103
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,812
Natl Median: $51,936
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$107,771
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$366k
Median Debt
$24,296
Earnings (2yr)
$44,356
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
$23,769
Earnings (4yr)
$58,489
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$24,114
Earnings (4yr)
$79,267
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$149k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,992
Earnings (4yr)
$48,178
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,185
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$79,927
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Median Debt
$24,391
Earnings (4yr)
$50,189
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Fire Protection
BachCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,436
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$66,875
Natl Median: $75,399
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$21,906
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,794
Earnings (4yr)
$67,766
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$54,506
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,935
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,759
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$69,383
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,582
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,074
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,938
Earnings (4yr)
$56,407
Natl Median: $62,172
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
$24,889
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,733
Earnings (4yr)
$51,721
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,166
Earnings (4yr)
$60,672
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$49,639
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Median Debt
$23,118
Earnings (4yr)
$77,490
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,892
Earnings (4yr)
$51,044
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,828
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (4yr)
$45,902
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,676
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,259
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,018
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,255
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,414
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,439
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$146,587
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$618k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,968
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Median Debt
$18,432
Earnings (4yr)
$62,328
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
MastCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,563
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,050
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,301
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,220
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$85,641
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$75,518
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,216
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$19,712
Earnings (4yr)
$58,151
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,999
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$59,326
Earnings (4yr)
$111,224
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k

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.