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Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA 30,435 Undergrads 87.1% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$32,040
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,790
After Aid
Median Earnings
$81,698
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$23,790
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$81,698
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate87.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients15.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS87.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
57.0%
SAT Avg
1,337
SAT Reading
25th: 62065075th: 700
SAT Math
25th: 62066075th: 720
ACT Composite
25th: 272975th: 32
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
+$679k
+$283k
+$195k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$593k
+$197k
+$109k
Full Cost$32k/yr
+$564k
+$167k
+$79k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
37
127%
Full Cost$32k/yr
41
69%
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 Return224%
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%
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
Agricultural Production Operations
AssocCIP: 0103
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,879
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$94,502
Lifetime Value Added
+$217k
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
BachCIP: 1402
Median Debt
$25,833
Earnings (5yr)
$100,423
Lifetime Value Added
+$261k
Agricultural Business and Management
BachCIP: 0101
Median Debt
$22,999
Earnings (5yr)
$73,750
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Agricultural Engineering
BachCIP: 1403
Median Debt
$26,125
Earnings (5yr)
$80,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Agriculture, General
BachCIP: 0100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,514
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$49,456
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (5yr)
$74,099
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
BachCIP: 4004
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$61,614
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,877
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,164
Earnings (5yr)
$63,097
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$22,017
Earnings (5yr)
$78,729
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$56,563
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,084
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$24,875
Earnings (5yr)
$99,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$252k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$22,875
Earnings (5yr)
$70,473
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$84,707
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$65,239
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$135,082
Lifetime Value Added
+$518k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$25,929
Earnings (5yr)
$123,589
Lifetime Value Added
+$434k
Construction Engineering
BachCIP: 1433
Median Debt
$26,349
Earnings (5yr)
$96,832
Lifetime Value Added
+$234k
Construction Management
BachCIP: 5220
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$97,079
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$23,900
Earnings (5yr)
$65,699
Lifetime Value Added
+$705
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$25,188
Earnings (5yr)
$35,675
Lifetime Value Added
-$245k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$22,125
Earnings (5yr)
$86,760
Lifetime Value Added
+$159k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$23,562
Earnings (5yr)
$103,147
Lifetime Value Added
+$282k
Engineering Mechanics
BachCIP: 1411
Median Debt
$27,500
Earnings (5yr)
$101,625
Lifetime Value Added
+$270k
Engineering-Related Fields
BachCIP: 1515
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (5yr)
$98,448
Lifetime Value Added
+$246k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,625
Earnings (5yr)
$56,347
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services
BachCIP: 1902
Median Debt
$22,450
Earnings (5yr)
$70,108
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$101,795
Lifetime Value Added
+$271k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,147
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Food Science and Technology
BachCIP: 0110
Median Debt
$26,875
Earnings (5yr)
$66,527
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1905
Median Debt
$24,017
Earnings (5yr)
$68,867
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Forestry
BachCIP: 0305
Median Debt
$20,663
Earnings (5yr)
$61,907
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$65,342
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,645
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$20,499
Earnings (5yr)
$54,461
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,451
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
$22,625
Earnings (5yr)
$103,958
Lifetime Value Added
+$288k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$74,206
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Landscape Architecture
BachCIP: 0406
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,575
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,956
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$109,446
Lifetime Value Added
+$329k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$82,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Materials Engineering
BachCIP: 1418
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$90,734
Lifetime Value Added
+$189k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$22,375
Earnings (5yr)
$70,431
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$97,664
Lifetime Value Added
+$241k
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
BachCIP: 2605
Median Debt
$24,817
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k
Mining and Mineral Engineering
BachCIP: 1421
Median Debt
$20,907
Earnings (5yr)
$96,761
Lifetime Value Added
+$234k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$26,816
Earnings (5yr)
$65,308
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,545
Lifetime Value Added
+$75k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$26,224
Earnings (5yr)
$78,349
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
$18,955
Earnings (5yr)
$49,641
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$72,652
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,977
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Public Policy Analysis
BachCIP: 4405
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,384
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$22,562
Earnings (5yr)
$53,098
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (5yr)
$74,128
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
BachCIP: 0306
Median Debt
$21,390
Earnings (5yr)
$45,136
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$18,304
Earnings (5yr)
$106,241
Lifetime Value Added
+$449k
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
MastCIP: 1402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Lifetime Value Added
+$308k
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$44,712
Earnings (5yr)
$90,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$314k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$32,567
Earnings (5yr)
$154,116
Lifetime Value Added
+$856k
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
MastCIP: 0403
Median Debt
$27,486
Earnings (5yr)
$81,245
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$19,050
Earnings (5yr)
$100,564
Lifetime Value Added
+$400k
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other
MastCIP: 1199
Median Debt
$33,240
Earnings (5yr)
$137,783
Lifetime Value Added
+$718k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,904
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$29,395
Earnings (5yr)
$68,001
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$100,317
Lifetime Value Added
+$451k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
MastCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,281
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
MastCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,713
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Mechanical Engineering
MastCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$116,720
Lifetime Value Added
+$539k
Natural Resources Management and Policy
MastCIP: 0302
Median Debt
$38,924
Earnings (5yr)
$91,116
Lifetime Value Added
+$319k
Plant Sciences
MastCIP: 0111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$111,122
Lifetime Value Added
+$491k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,382
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Graduate Certificates
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
Gr-CertCIP: 5111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,278
Lifetime Value Added
+$230k
Doctoral Degrees
Curriculum and Instruction
DocCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,564
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (5yr)
$106,899
Lifetime Value Added
+$261k
Mechanical Engineering
DocCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$97,959
Lifetime Value Added
+$239k
Psychology, General
DocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,432
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Veterinary Medicine
DocCIP: 0180
Median Debt
$170,773
Earnings (5yr)
$121,447
Lifetime Value Added
+$366k
Professional Degrees
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$251,904
Earnings (5yr)
$113,164
Lifetime Value Added
+$306k
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.