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Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY 12,267 Undergrads 53.8% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$23,520
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,916
After Aid
Median Earnings
$43,889
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$10,916
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$43,889
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate53.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS65.0%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
97.0%
SAT Avg
977
SAT Reading
25th: 450-75th: 520
SAT Math
25th: 370-75th: 490
ACT Composite
25th: 16-75th: 20
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
+$387k
-$9k
-$97k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$348k
-$48k
-$136k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$303k
-$94k
-$182k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
Never
-347%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-215%
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 Return-274%
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-114%
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
Certificates
Finance and Financial Management Services
CertCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,796
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,486
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Associate's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$15,303
Earnings (5yr)
$33,187
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$11,395
Earnings (5yr)
$66,983
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$22,772
Earnings (5yr)
$71,617
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Agriculture, General
BachCIP: 0100
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$45,055
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,621
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Apparel and Textiles
BachCIP: 1909
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$39,614
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Architectural Sciences and Technology
BachCIP: 0409
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (5yr)
$61,001
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,822
Earnings (5yr)
$57,509
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,820
Earnings (5yr)
$55,804
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$21,200
Earnings (5yr)
$69,462
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,754
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,579
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$18,836
Earnings (5yr)
$62,798
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Construction Engineering Technologies
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
$26,502
Earnings (5yr)
$89,806
Lifetime Value Added
+$228k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$25,815
Earnings (2yr)
$29,141
Lifetime Value Added
-$239k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,019
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Lifetime Value Added
-$313k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,462
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,315
Lifetime Value Added
+$239k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$38,385
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other
BachCIP: 2399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$66,693
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$34,236
Lifetime Value Added
-$211k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,888
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,567
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,696
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,870
Earnings (5yr)
$49,122
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,237
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$21,125
Earnings (5yr)
$44,446
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$23,527
Earnings (5yr)
$44,211
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,873
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$43,572
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$40,352
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,202
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (2yr)
$44,747
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,859
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$26,688
Earnings (5yr)
$77,336
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,735
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
BachCIP: 3103
Median Debt
$24,867
Earnings (5yr)
$40,705
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,865
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,337
Earnings (5yr)
$41,167
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$22,086
Earnings (5yr)
$51,773
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,056
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$27,044
Earnings (5yr)
$40,617
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$22,647
Earnings (5yr)
$75,333
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,409
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,608
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,827
Earnings (5yr)
$40,739
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,047
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (2yr)
$35,653
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$22,168
Earnings (5yr)
$40,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$26,887
Earnings (5yr)
$41,362
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,269
Earnings (5yr)
$81,177
Lifetime Value Added
+$258k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,140
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$42,706
Earnings (5yr)
$62,318
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,456
Lifetime Value Added
+$200k
Library Science and Administration
MastCIP: 2501
Median Debt
$17,684
Earnings (5yr)
$53,352
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
MastCIP: 3103
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$57,770
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,008
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$105,170
Lifetime Value Added
+$464k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$24,648
Earnings (5yr)
$49,968
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$21,593
Earnings (5yr)
$48,878
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$30,207
Earnings (5yr)
$48,264
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$25,360
Earnings (2yr)
$40,281
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Graduate Certificates
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services
Gr-CertCIP: 5131
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
Gr-CertCIP: 3103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,583
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Doctoral Degrees
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$97,736
Earnings (5yr)
$78,113
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
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.