College ROI

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National ROI Summary

Aggregated analysis of return on investment across US institutions, grouped by credential level.

United States - National Aggregate

Institution Statistics

Financial ROI

Level
Institutions
NPV (Zero Cost)
Pos / Neg
NPV (Med Cost)
Pos / Neg
NPV (Full Cost)
Pos / Neg
Certificate2,560
12%
n=1,994
9%
n=1,871
8%
n=1,871
Associate973
16%
n=911
10%
n=882
9%
n=882
Bachelor1,947
43%
n=1,799
20%
n=1,687
8%
n=1,687
Master's213
91%
n=11
n=0
n=0
Doctoral58
89%
n=9
n=0
n=0
Total5,751
25%
n=4,724
13%
n=4,440
8%
n=4,440

Student Outcomes

Level
Institutions
Grad Earnings
>HS / ≤HS
Social ROI
Pos / Neg
Pell ROI
Pos / Neg
Certificate2,560
41%
n=2,172
11%
n=1,871
13%
n=1,871
Associate973
81%
n=931
15%
n=882
28%
n=882
Bachelor1,947
88%
n=1,848
46%
n=1,687
75%
n=1,687
Master's213
43%
n=56
n=0
n=0
Doctoral58
76%
n=33
n=0
n=0
Total5,751
66%
n=5,040
25%
n=4,440
40%
n=4,440

Student Statistics

Financial ROI

Level
Students
NPV (Zero Cost)
Pos / Neg
NPV (Med Cost)
Pos / Neg
NPV (Full Cost)
Pos / Neg
Certificate1,836,878
15%
n=1,745,063
9%
n=1,711,950
8%
n=1,711,950
Associate3,576,075
11%
n=3,517,924
8%
n=3,509,156
5%
n=3,509,156
Bachelor11,736,252
63%
n=11,635,358
36%
n=11,351,762
19%
n=11,351,762
Master's78,064
92%
n=11,747
n=0
n=0
Doctoral68,439
98%
n=14,633
n=0
n=0
Total17,295,708
47%
n=16,924,725
27%
n=16,572,868
15%
n=16,572,868

Student Outcomes

Level
Students
Grad Earnings
>HS / ≤HS
Social ROI
Pos / Neg
Pell ROI
Pos / Neg
Certificate1,836,878
77%
n=1,776,536
15%
n=1,711,950
25%
n=1,711,950
Associate3,576,075
91%
n=3,528,840
12%
n=3,509,156
27%
n=3,509,156
Bachelor11,736,252
98%
n=11,658,202
67%
n=11,351,762
88%
n=11,351,762
Master's78,064
65%
n=33,773
n=0
n=0
Doctoral68,439
82%
n=49,556
n=0
n=0
Total17,295,708
94%
n=17,046,907
50%
n=16,572,868
68%
n=16,572,868
Visualization Key

The Donut Chart shows the visual breakdown of positive vs negative results.

Green = Positive %
Red = Negative %