College ROI

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Upper Iowa University

Fayette, IA 1,994 Undergrads 47.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$35,133
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,119
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,043
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$21,119
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$59,043
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$57,736
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate47.8%
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 Age29.5
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients42.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time54.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
96.5%
SAT Avg
1,090
SAT Reading
25th: -49075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -47075th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 172175th: 23

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
+$521k
+$51k
+$35k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$445k
-$25k
-$41k
Full Cost$35k/yr
+$395k
-$75k
-$92k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
41
∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
Never
-54%
Full Cost$35k/yr
Never
-72%
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 Return-38%

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-68%

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
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,511
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
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Criminology
AssocCIP: 4504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,936
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,322
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
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Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$23,613
Earnings (4yr)
$63,645
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,110
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
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Median Debt
$24,658
Earnings (4yr)
$65,858
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$26,062
Earnings (4yr)
$56,767
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
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Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$41,109
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,736
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,931
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
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History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Homeland Security
BachCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,193
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,158
Earnings (4yr)
$64,706
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
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Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,461
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,858
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,765
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,750
Earnings (4yr)
$50,877
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,374
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,975
Earnings (4yr)
$76,345
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
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Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,430
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
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Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,658
Earnings (4yr)
$49,098
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,002
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
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Median Debt
$26,496
Earnings (4yr)
$45,945
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
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Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,790
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,259
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$40,000
Earnings (4yr)
$80,314
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
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Median Debt
$51,632
Earnings (4yr)
$94,026
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
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Median Debt
$54,228
Earnings (4yr)
$61,526
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,197
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$82,839
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
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Homeland Security
MastCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$55,845
Earnings (4yr)
$69,986
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
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Median Debt
$55,510
Earnings (4yr)
$70,924
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,558
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
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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.