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University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Platteville, WI 5,928 Undergrads 59.7% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$20,049
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,754
After Aid
Median Earnings
$61,760
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$14,754
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$61,760
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate59.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients21.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS86.4%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
87.3%
SAT Avg
1,190
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 212375th: 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
+$531k
+$134k
+$46k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$477k
+$81k
-$7k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$458k
+$62k
-$26k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
39
∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-13%
Full Cost$20k/yr
Never
-36%
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 Return37%
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-34%
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
$5,500
Earnings (5yr)
$40,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$18,748
Earnings (5yr)
$51,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,467
Earnings (5yr)
$52,129
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,459
Earnings (5yr)
$61,873
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$23,600
Earnings (5yr)
$63,564
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (5yr)
$81,237
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services, Other
BachCIP: 1099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,441
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (5yr)
$91,450
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$24,272
Earnings (5yr)
$98,479
Lifetime Value Added
+$279k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$24,783
Earnings (5yr)
$57,550
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$50,117
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$95,709
Lifetime Value Added
+$258k
Engineering Physics
BachCIP: 1412
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$85,157
Lifetime Value Added
+$179k
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
BachCIP: 1414
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$74,875
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,207
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$248k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,297
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
$27,275
Earnings (5yr)
$81,870
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1506
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$81,920
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,585
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$86,418
Lifetime Value Added
+$189k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,386
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
$15,250
Earnings (5yr)
$63,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,569
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,803
Earnings (5yr)
$50,640
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Security Science and Technology
BachCIP: 4304
Median Debt
$21,005
Earnings (5yr)
$50,211
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,193
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$22,625
Earnings (2yr)
$37,856
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,600
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$31,133
Earnings (5yr)
$103,843
Lifetime Value Added
+$445k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$31,763
Earnings (2yr)
$45,715
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Engineering, General
MastCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$26,008
Earnings (5yr)
$112,412
Lifetime Value Added
+$519k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,183
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
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.