Evaluate college ROI with our expert calculator. Discover insights, compare returns, and feel confident about your education investment decisions.
College ROI (Return on Investment) is a quantitative measure used to assess the value of a college education by comparing the long-term financial gains to the costs incurred. This includes tuition, opportunity costs, fees, and living expenses.
ROI (%) = [(Total Earnings over Career - Total Cost of Education) / Total Cost of Education] × 100Break-even years = Total Cost of Education / (Annual Salary - Baseline Salary Without Degree)NPV = Σ [ (Earnings_t - Cost_t) / (1 + r)^t ]Where:
t is the year in the career timeliner is the discount rate (typically 3–5%)Earnings_t and Cost_t are income and costs for each yearTake control of your education investment—run your ROI today and choose a future that pays off.
| College | Program | Total Cost | Starting Salary | Break-even (years) | 10-Year ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIT | Computer Science | $240,000 | $110,000 | 3.1 | 200% |
| Community College | Nursing | $30,000 | $55,000 | 1.2 | 250% |
| Private Art School | Fine Arts | $200,000 | $42,000 | 22.5 | 28% |
| Online Bootcamp | Data Analytics | $15,000 | $65,000 | 0.3 | 333% |
| Graduate School | Law | $300,000 | $95,000 | 8.6 | 115% |