College ROI

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University of Wisconsin-Superior

Superior, WI 1,807 Undergrads 50.2% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$21,350
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,843
After Aid
Median Earnings
$51,653
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,843
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$51,653
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$51,871
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate50.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)24.4
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time78.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
93.0%
SAT Avg
1,090
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 182175th: 24

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
+$461k
-$9k
-$25k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$411k
-$59k
-$75k
Full Cost$21k/yr
+$384k
-$86k
-$102k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-151%
Full Cost$21k/yr
Never
-133%
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 Return-134%

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-80%

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
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,644
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,381
Earnings (4yr)
$44,617
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (4yr)
$56,863
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Median Debt
$23,041
Earnings (4yr)
$45,014
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,167
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,035
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$297k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Natl Median: $57,149
Lifetime Value Added
-$280k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,753
Earnings (4yr)
$50,950
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,559
Earnings (4yr)
$44,116
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$19,227
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$342k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,811
Earnings (4yr)
$54,195
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,896
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$271k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$18,666
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,690
Earnings (4yr)
$43,561
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,815
Earnings (4yr)
$77,587
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,122
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,035
Earnings (4yr)
$58,070
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Median Debt
$37,650
Earnings (4yr)
$58,394
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Median Debt
$24,425
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
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.