College ROI

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University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Whitewater, WI 9,405 Undergrads 65.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$18,719
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,158
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,704
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,158
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$58,704
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$55,356
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate65.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients26.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time89.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
85.7%
SAT Avg
1,050
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 172175th: 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
+$525k
+$58k
+$41k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$474k
+$7k
-$10k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$458k
-$9k
-$26k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
40
∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-20%
Full Cost$19k/yr
Never
-39%
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 Return33%

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-33%
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

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,315
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
CertCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,318
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,786
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
CertCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,205
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,453
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$78,762
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$145k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,745
Earnings (4yr)
$58,118
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Median Debt
$22,125
Earnings (4yr)
$73,415
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,386
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Median Debt
$20,077
Earnings (4yr)
$68,873
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$58,170
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Median Debt
$23,600
Earnings (4yr)
$55,152
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (4yr)
$56,878
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Median Debt
$23,664
Earnings (4yr)
$79,799
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$25,283
Earnings (4yr)
$63,365
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Median Debt
$27,625
Earnings (4yr)
$39,521
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (4yr)
$77,395
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,409
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,300
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$72,928
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Median Debt
$21,602
Earnings (4yr)
$49,506
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Median Debt
$18,875
Earnings (4yr)
$62,589
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$23,468
Earnings (4yr)
$48,693
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$62,750
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$89,687
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,885
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$50,970
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Median Debt
$27,922
Earnings (4yr)
$60,241
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$24,747
Earnings (4yr)
$67,317
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$18,942
Earnings (4yr)
$63,850
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,306
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Median Debt
$20,733
Earnings (4yr)
$63,936
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,562
Earnings (4yr)
$54,074
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,703
Earnings (4yr)
$52,284
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Median Debt
$23,829
Earnings (4yr)
$60,383
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$81,385
Natl Median: $86,525
Lifetime Value Added
+$166k
Median Debt
$24,339
Earnings (4yr)
$56,575
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,888
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,827
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,908
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Median Debt
$26,613
Earnings (4yr)
$46,637
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Median Debt
$25,692
Earnings (4yr)
$50,827
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Median Debt
$22,398
Earnings (4yr)
$47,819
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $104,114
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Construction Management
PB-CertCIP: 5220
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $102,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
PB-CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,785
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$17,156
Earnings (4yr)
$81,250
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Median Debt
$28,446
Earnings (4yr)
$102,812
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
+$239k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$61,200
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,137
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$232k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$33,377
Earnings (4yr)
$56,443
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Median Debt
$49,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,676
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Median Debt
$19,466
Earnings (4yr)
$54,548
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$104,601
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
+$254k

Graduate Certificates

Education, General
Gr-CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,448
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,566
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.