College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

University of Wisconsin-Parkside

Kenosha, WI 2,844 Undergrads 44.8% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$18,226
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,233
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,225
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,233
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$58,225
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$57,115
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate44.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age22.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time81.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
75.4%
SAT Avg
1,090
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 172175th: 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
+$515k
+$45k
+$28k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$474k
+$4k
-$12k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$449k
-$21k
-$37k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
43
∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
Never
-30%
Full Cost$18k/yr
Never
-57%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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 Return1%

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-42%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$21,823
Earnings (4yr)
$64,177
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,928
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,124
Earnings (4yr)
$63,554
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,923
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$18,433
Earnings (4yr)
$89,495
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$240k
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,156
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,410
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$37,110
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$34,689
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$31,577
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$230k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,123
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,790
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$67,130
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,349
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,630
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,370
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,014
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,484
Earnings (4yr)
$46,647
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$22,594
Earnings (4yr)
$46,005
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$55,240
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$99,850
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,149
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,122
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.