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Walden University
Minneapolis, MN 7,337 Undergrads 30.9% Grad Rate
Total Cost
-
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
-
After Aid
Median Earnings
$42,810
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price-
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$42,810
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate30.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients49.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time25.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS72.7%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
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
+$378k
-$18k
-$106k
Median CostN/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Full CostN/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median CostN/A
N/A
N/A
Full CostN/A
N/A
N/A
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%.
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
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$35,625
Earnings (5yr)
$70,040
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$33,334
Earnings (5yr)
$65,173
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
BachCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$39,341
Earnings (5yr)
$51,690
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$32,060
Earnings (5yr)
$58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$43,204
Earnings (5yr)
$88,065
Lifetime Value Added
+$254k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,446
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Curriculum and Instruction
BachCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,134
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,458
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$34,592
Earnings (5yr)
$61,022
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$35,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,404
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$40,167
Earnings (5yr)
$42,028
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Human Services, General
BachCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$39,649
Earnings (5yr)
$44,239
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$33,334
Earnings (5yr)
$47,057
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Public Administration
BachCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,295
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$35,750
Earnings (5yr)
$55,488
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$20,341
Earnings (5yr)
$97,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$326k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$39,610
Earnings (5yr)
$75,276
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$45,581
Earnings (5yr)
$75,132
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,203
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$38,500
Earnings (5yr)
$53,701
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
MastCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$96,874
Lifetime Value Added
+$412k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$57,881
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,243
Lifetime Value Added
+$201k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,717
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$36,691
Earnings (5yr)
$54,202
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$44,740
Earnings (5yr)
$79,884
Lifetime Value Added
+$267k
Homeland Security
MastCIP: 4303
Median Debt
$44,971
Earnings (5yr)
$67,546
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,249
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Human Services, General
MastCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,404
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Management Information Systems and Services
MastCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$88,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$344k
Medical Illustration and Informatics
MastCIP: 5127
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$84,228
Lifetime Value Added
+$304k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$80,386
Earnings (5yr)
$56,037
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$43,814
Earnings (5yr)
$71,576
Lifetime Value Added
+$195k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$60,029
Earnings (5yr)
$71,859
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Public Policy Analysis
MastCIP: 4405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,075
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$53,686
Earnings (5yr)
$117,144
Lifetime Value Added
+$586k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$72,715
Earnings (5yr)
$57,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$38,929
Earnings (5yr)
$49,553
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Graduate Certificates
Curriculum and Instruction
Gr-CertCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$122,882
Earnings (5yr)
$70,987
Lifetime Value Added
+$249k
Education, General
Gr-CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$75,167
Earnings (5yr)
$67,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$217k
Educational Administration and Supervision
Gr-CertCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,093
Lifetime Value Added
+$250k
Doctoral Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
DocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$115,920
Earnings (5yr)
$108,665
Lifetime Value Added
+$359k
Education, General
DocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$132,844
Earnings (5yr)
$94,939
Lifetime Value Added
+$259k
Psychology, General
DocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$175,633
Earnings (5yr)
$76,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Public Administration
DocCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$138,500
Earnings (5yr)
$105,116
Lifetime Value Added
+$333k
Public Health
DocCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$129,841
Earnings (5yr)
$91,541
Lifetime Value Added
+$234k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
DocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$94,982
Earnings (5yr)
$129,689
Lifetime Value Added
+$511k
Professional Degrees
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
ProfCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
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.