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Public Policy Analysis.
Doctoral Degree•44 Institutions
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.
Annual Full Cost vs. Median Earnings
Each dot represents one program at an institution. Shows the spread of annual sticker price (or net price if sticker price is unavailable) vs earnings 4 years post-grad.
Field Median ($87,604)
P25-P75 Interval ($87,604 - $87,604)
HS Baseline ($35,872)
Breakeven Line (0% ROI)
Institution | State | Earnings | Avg Net Price | Median Debt | Lifetime Value Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tempe | AZ | - Nat: $119,220 | $14,967 /yr | - | -$0 |
Fayetteville | AR | - Nat: $119,220 | $18,209 /yr | - | -$0 |
Berkeley | CA | - Nat: $119,220 | $13,481 /yr | - | -$0 |
Loma Linda University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Loma Linda | CA | - Nat: $119,220 | - /yr | - | -$0 |
Santa Monica | CA | - Nat: $119,220 | - /yr | - | -$0 |
Los Angeles | CA | - Nat: $119,220 | $32,740 /yr | - | -$0 |
Washington | DC | - Nat: $119,220 | $36,586 /yr | - | -$0 |
Atlanta | GA | - Nat: $119,220 | $15,931 /yr | - | -$0 |
Boise | ID | - Nat: $119,220 | $21,610 /yr | - | -$0 |
Chicago | IL | - Nat: $119,220 | $14,860 /yr | - | -$0 |
Indianapolis | IN | - Nat: $119,220 | $11,668 /yr | - | -$0 |
Bloomington | IN | - Nat: $119,220 | $16,264 /yr | - | -$0 |
Southern University and A & M College ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Baton Rouge | LA | - Nat: $119,220 | $20,077 /yr | - | -$0 |
University of Southern Maine ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Portland | ME | - Nat: $119,220 | $13,596 /yr | - | -$0 |
Baltimore | MD | - Nat: $119,220 | $16,467 /yr | - | -$0 |
College Park | MD | - Nat: $119,220 | $15,678 /yr | - | -$0 |
Waltham | MA | - Nat: $119,220 | $35,736 /yr | - | -$0 |
Boston | MA | - Nat: $119,220 | $17,707 /yr | - | -$0 |
North Dartmouth | MA | - Nat: $119,220 | $20,927 /yr | - | -$0 |
Ann Arbor | MI | - Nat: $119,220 | $13,138 /yr | - | -$0 |
Houghton | MI | - Nat: $119,220 | $14,182 /yr | - | -$0 |
Saint Louis | MO | - Nat: $119,220 | $24,398 /yr | - | -$0 |
Las Vegas | NV | - Nat: $119,220 | $10,359 /yr | - | -$0 |
Princeton | NJ | - Nat: $119,220 | $6,128 /yr | - | -$0 |
Camden | NJ | - Nat: $119,220 | $18,745 /yr | - | -$0 |
New Brunswick | NJ | - Nat: $119,220 | $24,406 /yr | - | -$0 |
New York | NY | - Nat: $119,220 | $58,741 /yr | - | -$0 |
Niagara University | NY | - Nat: $119,220 | $17,248 /yr | - | -$0 |
New York | NY | - Nat: $119,220 | - /yr | - | -$0 |
Durham | NC | - Nat: $119,220 | $29,612 /yr | - | -$0 |
Chapel Hill | NC | - Nat: $119,220 | $11,655 /yr | - | -$0 |
Charlotte | NC | - Nat: $119,220 | $15,435 /yr | - | -$0 |
Corvallis | OR | - Nat: $119,220 | $19,604 /yr | - | -$0 |
Portland State University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Portland | OR | - Nat: $119,220 | $9,552 /yr | - | -$0 |
Pittsburgh | PA | - Nat: $119,220 | $31,944 /yr | - | -$0 |
Kingston | RI | - Nat: $119,220 | $21,440 /yr | - | -$0 |
Clemson | SC | - Nat: $119,220 | $22,253 /yr | - | -$0 |
Austin | TX | - Nat: $119,220 | $19,857 /yr | - | -$0 |
Richardson | TX | - Nat: $119,220 | $18,267 /yr | - | -$0 |
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Houston | TX | - Nat: $119,220 | - /yr | - | -$0 |
Fairfax | VA | - Nat: $119,220 | $17,915 /yr | - | -$0 |
Bend | OR | - Nat: $119,220 | $18,048 /yr | - | -$0 |
Baton Rouge | LA | - Nat: $119,220 | - /yr | - | -$0 |
Cambridge | MA | $87,604 Nat: $119,220 2yr Post-Grad | $19,066 /yr | - | -$40k |
Analysis Notes:
- Lifetime Value Added: Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median bachelor's degree holder, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes.
- Avg Net Price: The average price paid by students who receive federal financial aid (grants/loans).Note: For graduate programs, the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition and net price.
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.