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Wright State University-Main Campus
Dayton, OH 6,330 Undergrads 47.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$23,255
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,216
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,500
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$15,216
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$49,500
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate47.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients35.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time83.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.4%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
95.2%
SAT Avg
1,086
SAT Reading
25th: 47055575th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 44354375th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: 172175th: 25
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
+$433k
+$37k
-$51k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$378k
-$18k
-$106k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$350k
-$47k
-$135k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-193%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-161%
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-183%
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-94%
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
Associate's Degrees
Management Information Systems and Services
AssocCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,679
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$23,836
Earnings (5yr)
$71,094
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,450
Earnings (5yr)
$58,156
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$21,395
Earnings (5yr)
$84,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$174k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$22,525
Earnings (5yr)
$50,246
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,814
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,096
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,358
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$49,425
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$88,697
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$17,778
Earnings (5yr)
$87,791
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,650
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,507
Lifetime Value Added
-$353k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$32,244
Lifetime Value Added
-$243k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$22,117
Earnings (5yr)
$88,425
Lifetime Value Added
+$202k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$42,480
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$17,762
Earnings (5yr)
$71,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$75k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$35,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,092
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$40,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$15,303
Earnings (5yr)
$34,062
Lifetime Value Added
-$228k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,379
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,415
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$28,750
Earnings (5yr)
$75,467
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$66,841
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$22,772
Earnings (5yr)
$83,880
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (2yr)
$28,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$256k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,362
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,398
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$74,455
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$27,867
Earnings (5yr)
$45,623
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$18,791
Earnings (5yr)
$42,444
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,280
Earnings (5yr)
$48,503
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,821
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$26,479
Earnings (5yr)
$42,949
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$23,572
Earnings (5yr)
$44,788
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,005
Lifetime Value Added
+$334k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
MastCIP: 1405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$87,354
Lifetime Value Added
+$303k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$34,500
Earnings (5yr)
$97,806
Lifetime Value Added
+$393k
Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$96,299
Lifetime Value Added
+$380k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$55,825
Earnings (5yr)
$59,054
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$88,357
Lifetime Value Added
+$311k
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,729
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$30,250
Earnings (5yr)
$63,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$111,887
Lifetime Value Added
+$513k
Engineering Science
MastCIP: 1413
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$72,022
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$17,551
Lifetime Value Added
-$336k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,386
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
International Relations and National Security Studies
MastCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Mechanical Engineering
MastCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$77,213
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$254k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,580
Lifetime Value Added
+$141k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$33,969
Earnings (2yr)
$54,322
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$47,165
Earnings (5yr)
$111,248
Lifetime Value Added
+$508k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$35,261
Earnings (5yr)
$56,930
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$47,768
Earnings (5yr)
$50,503
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,134
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$50,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,240
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Graduate Certificates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Gr-CertCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,253
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Doctoral Degrees
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
DocCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$146,178
Earnings (5yr)
$97,761
Lifetime Value Added
+$225k
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.