College ROI

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Westfield State University

Westfield, MA 3,615 Undergrads 63.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$27,649
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,721
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,434
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,721
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$59,434
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$57,346
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate63.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.2
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients35.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS72.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
81.4%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -54575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -54075th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2075th: -

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
+$531k
+$64k
+$47k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$471k
+$4k
-$13k
Full Cost$28k/yr
+$432k
-$35k
-$53k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
Never
-22%
Full Cost$28k/yr
Never
-53%
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 Return1%

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-52%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$64,904
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$66,889
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,628
Earnings (4yr)
$59,524
Natl Median: $66,874
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$56,349
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$95,932
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$267k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$67,363
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$72,539
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$51,322
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,896
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$281k
Median Debt
$23,455
Earnings (4yr)
$43,248
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,439
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$61,295
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,730
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,980
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,692
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Median Debt
$22,215
Earnings (4yr)
$51,547
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Physical Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,944
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,025
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,484
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$93,248
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$247k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,290
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,699
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,678
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,765
Earnings (4yr)
$55,828
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Median Debt
$26,293
Earnings (4yr)
$51,049
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

History
PB-CertCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,139
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
PB-CertCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,232
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
PB-CertCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,198
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,346
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,623
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,414
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$36,914
Earnings (4yr)
$62,001
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,583
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Psychology, Other
MastCIP: 4299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$78,332
Natl Median: $61,796
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$77,525
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$35,461
Earnings (4yr)
$70,061
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,630
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
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)
$53,768
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
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.