College ROI

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University of Wisconsin-Platteville

Platteville, WI 5,837 Undergrads 64.1% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$21,759
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,451
After Aid
Median Earnings
$70,905
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,451
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$70,905
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$66,166
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate64.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)20.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS85.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
89.4%
SAT Avg
1,190
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 212475th: 28

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
+$614k
+$144k
+$128k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$559k
+$88k
+$72k
Full Cost$22k/yr
+$536k
+$66k
+$49k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
39
130%
Full Cost$22k/yr
43
63%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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 Return212%

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 Return10%

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 →

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,389
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$23,612
Earnings (4yr)
$68,982
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,059
Natl Median: $66,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,530
Natl Median: $49,634
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (4yr)
$50,540
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Median Debt
$22,600
Earnings (4yr)
$66,306
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,271
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,976
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,448
Natl Median: $47,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Median Debt
$23,657
Earnings (4yr)
$82,652
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$95,300
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$269k
Median Debt
$20,152
Earnings (4yr)
$59,533
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,895
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$92,443
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$247k
Engineering Physics
BachCIP: 1412
Median Debt
$23,255
Earnings (4yr)
$85,901
Natl Median: $89,154
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,099
Natl Median: $81,171
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Median Debt
$25,150
Earnings (4yr)
$42,271
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$251k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,832
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$250k
Median Debt
$22,190
Earnings (4yr)
$88,918
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
Median Debt
$22,125
Earnings (4yr)
$83,958
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,585
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$87,139
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$251k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,754
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
$18,390
Earnings (4yr)
$61,085
Natl Median: $56,567
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,569
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,300
Earnings (4yr)
$51,083
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$50,368
Natl Median: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,193
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,375
Earnings (4yr)
$51,628
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,238
Natl Median: $57,887
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Median Debt
$22,600
Earnings (4yr)
$43,805
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Median Debt
$18,450
Earnings (2yr)
$37,980
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$23,522
Earnings (4yr)
$112,770
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$324k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,581
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,435
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$115,411
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
+$347k

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.