College ROI

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Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA 13,544 Undergrads 70.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$30,359
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,193
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,560
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$21,193
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$58,560
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$62,569
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate70.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients21.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS72.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
93.3%
SAT Avg
1,289
SAT Reading
25th: 59061575th: 710
SAT Math
25th: 56058575th: 680
ACT Composite
25th: 242675th: 31

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
+$524k
+$57k
+$40k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$448k
-$19k
-$37k
Full Cost$30k/yr
+$415k
-$52k
-$70k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
40
∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
Never
-48%
Full Cost$30k/yr
Never
-64%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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-20%

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-59%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,689
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,567
Earnings (4yr)
$82,246
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$21,727
Earnings (4yr)
$50,703
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,359
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Archeology
BachCIP: 4503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$38,243
Natl Median: $41,748
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,623
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Median Debt
$20,166
Earnings (4yr)
$77,048
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Median Debt
$19,993
Earnings (2yr)
$16,874
Natl Median: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
-$389k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$16,950
Earnings (4yr)
$50,027
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Median Debt
$16,666
Earnings (4yr)
$71,886
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Median Debt
$16,582
Earnings (4yr)
$58,622
Natl Median: $66,697
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$20,012
Earnings (4yr)
$55,793
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Median Debt
$17,887
Earnings (4yr)
$56,415
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Median Debt
$14,334
Earnings (4yr)
$61,802
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Median Debt
$18,583
Earnings (4yr)
$110,138
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$359k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,833
Earnings (4yr)
$69,715
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$40,616
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,020
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$64,123
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$107,131
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$337k
Median Debt
$16,585
Earnings (4yr)
$46,571
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
BachCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,185
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,084
Earnings (4yr)
$75,730
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$35,161
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$234k
Median Debt
$19,970
Earnings (5yr)
$54,097
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Median Debt
$22,969
Earnings (4yr)
$67,208
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$34,704
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Median Debt
$17,708
Earnings (4yr)
$53,428
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$17,100
Earnings (4yr)
$46,000
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,788
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,042
Natl Median: $79,902
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Median Debt
$20,166
Earnings (4yr)
$63,923
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$18,151
Earnings (4yr)
$57,697
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$38,163
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
Median Debt
$19,798
Earnings (4yr)
$44,615
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Median Debt
$21,667
Earnings (4yr)
$81,678
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
Median Debt
$21,323
Earnings (4yr)
$85,314
Natl Median: $88,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$17,166
Earnings (4yr)
$69,323
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $118,943
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$19,781
Earnings (4yr)
$54,234
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,465
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Natl Median: $52,119
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k
Median Debt
$21,595
Earnings (4yr)
$54,290
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,919
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$20,055
Earnings (4yr)
$38,858
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Median Debt
$20,352
Earnings (4yr)
$53,781
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,508
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Median Debt
$17,395
Earnings (4yr)
$50,832
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,501
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$211k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,833
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Median Debt
$18,675
Earnings (4yr)
$49,640
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Median Debt
$19,743
Earnings (4yr)
$92,439
Natl Median: $92,919
Lifetime Value Added
+$225k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,654
Earnings (4yr)
$53,224
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Median Debt
$9,369
Earnings (4yr)
$96,695
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$257k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,604
Earnings (4yr)
$38,460
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$205k
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,380
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$19,207
Earnings (4yr)
$54,263
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,780
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$17,660
Earnings (4yr)
$50,079
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,086
Earnings (4yr)
$70,793
Natl Median: $57,887
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Median Debt
$20,043
Earnings (4yr)
$62,500
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Median Debt
$24,700
Earnings (4yr)
$63,072
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$482

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,276
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,611
Earnings (4yr)
$97,723
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$38,104
Earnings (4yr)
$80,873
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$129,722
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$460k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$78,343
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,371
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,216
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,035
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: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,499
Earnings (4yr)
$74,041
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,078
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$264k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,802
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.