🎓 College ROI Calculator by Major
Compare illustrative earnings scenarios over the same timeline. Salary presets are assumptions, not current market data or a prediction of your career.
📚 Major & Costs
Public: $28k, Private: $60k
Avg: $12-15k
💳 Student Loans
% of total cost financed
Federal: 5.5%, Private: 7-12%
US median: $35k
🚀 Excellent ROI
💰 Lifetime Earnings Comparison
College Graduate (Computer Science)
High School Graduate
📊 Major Comparison (Starting Salaries)
Compare assumptions before comparing majors
This scenario compares 30 years after graduation with the alternative career over those same years plus the years spent studying. It counts education costs and borrowing interest once. Taxes, unemployment, changing career paths, inflation and discounting are not modeled. Both paths assume uninterrupted earnings growth.
Use your actual aid offer and costs. The salary presets are illustrative, and a favorable result does not guarantee employment or justify a loan. A payback beyond the 40-year simulation is shown as not reached.
Research real programs in College Scorecard →About This Calculator
Calculate 2025 college ROI (Return on Investment) by major: STEM degrees 8-15 year payback (Engineering $75k-90k starting, 40yr earnings $3.2M-4.5M), Business 10-18 years ($55k-70k start, $2.5M-3.8M lifetime), Humanities 18-never ($35k-45k start, $1.8M-2.4M lifetime). Compare 4-year cost ($120k-280k public/private) vs lifetime premium over high school diploma ($1.2M avg). Factor in loans (6.5% federal rate 2025), opportunity cost (4 years lost wages $120k-160k), graduate school boost ($500k-1.2M additional). Analyze alternative ROI: trade school 2-3yr payback, coding bootcamp 1-2yr, apprenticeship immediate earnings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the salary presets predictions?
No. The major presets are illustrative assumptions, not verified current salary statistics or a forecast of an individual career. Actual earnings depend on location, school, occupation, experience and employment.
What costs should I compare?
Compare tuition and living costs, borrowing costs, and the earnings available on the alternative path over the same time horizon. Opportunity cost must not be subtracted twice.
Can I use this result to choose a major?
Use the output as a scenario to question, not a recommendation. Review actual program costs, completion outcomes, aid offers and local career data before deciding.
The SuperCalc Editorial Team maintains calculator interfaces, formula notes, examples, and supporting explanations. Methods, assumptions, source links, and review depth vary by calculator and are documented on the relevant page where available.