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Worcester State University
Worcester, MA 3,930 Undergrads 63.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$22,874
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,381
After Aid
Median Earnings
$63,801
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$13,381
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$63,801
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate63.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time85.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.1%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
88.0%
SAT Avg
1,150
SAT Reading
25th: 53355575th: 665
SAT Math
25th: 49355775th: 618
ACT Composite
25th: -2475th: -
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
+$566k
+$99k
+$82k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$518k
+$51k
+$33k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$484k
+$17k
-$785
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
45
69%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-1%
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 Return98%
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-21%
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
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,043
Earnings (4yr)
$68,459
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
Biotechnology
BachCIP: 2612
Median Debt
$17,455
Earnings (4yr)
$90,565
Natl Median: $67,097
Lifetime Value Added
+$238k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$66,405
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,948
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,149
Earnings (4yr)
$50,511
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$20,564
Earnings (4yr)
$58,126
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$92,068
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$250k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$21,050
Earnings (4yr)
$65,588
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,138
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,416
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,054
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 5199
Median Debt
$24,938
Earnings (4yr)
$54,245
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$24,680
Earnings (4yr)
$53,455
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,273
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (4yr)
$57,434
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,505
Natl Median: $52,119
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physical Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,944
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,955
Earnings (4yr)
$57,244
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$92,133
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$250k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,386
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,754
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$20,297
Earnings (4yr)
$52,337
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Urban Studies/Affairs
BachCIP: 4512
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,387
Natl Median: $62,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
BachCIP: 5001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,037
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Master's Degrees
Biotechnology
MastCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,682
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$81,000
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$21,166
Earnings (4yr)
$62,355
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other
MastCIP: 2399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,966
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
MastCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,285
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Graduate Certificates
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Gr-CertCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,509
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
Gr-CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,448
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
Gr-CertCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,709
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
Gr-CertCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,444
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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.