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Western Governors University
Salt Lake City, UT 135,822 Undergrads 51.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$14,464
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,442
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,615
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$10,442
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$60,615
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate51.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time100.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS86.2%
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
+$522k
+$125k
+$37k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$484k
+$88k
-$275
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$470k
+$73k
-$15k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
41
∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-1%
Full Cost$14k/yr
Never
-28%
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 Return60%
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-17%
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
$15,915
Earnings (5yr)
$68,709
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$14,816
Earnings (5yr)
$79,431
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$16,625
Earnings (5yr)
$103,842
Lifetime Value Added
+$335k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$15,546
Earnings (5yr)
$47,043
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
BachCIP: 5218
Median Debt
$20,671
Earnings (5yr)
$100,631
Lifetime Value Added
+$311k
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
BachCIP: 5111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$87,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$12,929
Earnings (5yr)
$70,202
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Medical Illustration and Informatics
BachCIP: 5127
Median Debt
$20,346
Earnings (5yr)
$89,508
Lifetime Value Added
+$228k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$9,470
Earnings (5yr)
$97,743
Lifetime Value Added
+$289k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$17,937
Earnings (5yr)
$52,641
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,489
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$16,991
Earnings (5yr)
$50,239
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Post-Baccalaureate Certificates
Education, General
PB-CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,628
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Educational Administration and Supervision
PB-CertCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$87,274
Lifetime Value Added
+$391k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
PB-CertCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,995
Lifetime Value Added
+$211k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$12,750
Earnings (5yr)
$85,208
Lifetime Value Added
+$293k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$13,165
Earnings (5yr)
$94,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$371k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
MastCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$11,526
Earnings (5yr)
$138,406
Lifetime Value Added
+$747k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$9,341
Earnings (5yr)
$67,901
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$12,532
Earnings (5yr)
$55,251
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$12,772
Earnings (5yr)
$81,506
Lifetime Value Added
+$261k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
MastCIP: 1305
Median Debt
$7,989
Earnings (5yr)
$69,997
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Management Information Systems and Services
MastCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$12,696
Earnings (5yr)
$123,017
Lifetime Value Added
+$617k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$13,665
Earnings (5yr)
$110,112
Lifetime Value Added
+$507k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$10,318
Earnings (5yr)
$62,963
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$10,414
Earnings (5yr)
$65,381
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language
MastCIP: 1314
Median Debt
$7,860
Earnings (5yr)
$67,630
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
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.