College ROI

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Worcester State University

Worcester, MA 3,930 Undergrads 63.3% Grad Rate
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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: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$63,801
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$60,624
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate63.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.4
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
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
+$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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, 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
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
Median Debt
$20,149
Earnings (4yr)
$50,511
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Median Debt
$20,564
Earnings (4yr)
$58,126
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$92,068
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$250k
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
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,416
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,054
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
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
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
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,505
Natl Median: $52,119
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
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
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$92,133
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$250k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,386
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
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
Median Debt
$20,297
Earnings (4yr)
$52,337
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,387
Natl Median: $62,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$81,000
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,966
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,285
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,709
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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 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.