10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$92,236at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
⌖ Fort Collins, CO · 82 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$92,236 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
15.3 yrsModeled economic break-even
−35%Modeled 10-year ROI
$62,288Observed earnings · year 5
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$21,279Average net price / year
$31,642Cost of attendance
$62,288Median earnings · year 5 after completion
66.5%Completion rate
88.5%Admission rate
25,538Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$43,283Year 1
$67,911Year 4
$62,288Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Psychology, General · Doctoral Degree$144,7302Chemistry · Doctoral Degree$139,2963Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$136,7094Veterinary Medicine · First Professional Degree$128,3275Finance and Financial Management Services · Graduate/Professional Certificate$127,8216Mechanical Engineering · Master's Degree$115,9467Computer and Information Sciences, General · Bachelor's Degree$114,0768Engineering, General · Master's Degree$111,730Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in CO
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Colorado Springs, CO
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
- Annual net price
- $15,788
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $58,557
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -44%
Metropolitan State University of Denver
- Annual net price
- $15,327
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $56,358
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -53%
University of Colorado Boulder
- Annual net price
- $25,346
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $72,742
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -1%
University of Northern Colorado
- Annual net price
- $17,760
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $51,185
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -75%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology, General | Doctoral Degree | $144,730 | Not available |
| Chemistry | Doctoral Degree | $139,296 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $136,709 | Not available |
| Veterinary Medicine | First Professional Degree | $128,327 | Not available |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $127,821 | Not available |
| Mechanical Engineering | Master's Degree | $115,946 | Not available |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $114,076 | $23,250 |
| Engineering, General | Master's Degree | $111,730 | Not available |
| Information Science/Studies | Master's Degree | $106,679 | Not available |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Doctoral Degree | $105,391 | Not available |
| Information Science/Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $102,765 | $25,000 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $99,172 | $25,900 |
| Fire Protection | Bachelor's Degree | $98,019 | $34,008 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $97,463 | Not available |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $97,271 | $21,240 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | Doctoral Degree | $96,987 | Not available |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | Bachelor's Degree | $94,921 | $25,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $94,260 | $26,184 |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $88,001 | $25,480 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $87,258 | Not available |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $82,005 | $27,500 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $79,256 | $20,967 |
| Biology, General | Master's Degree | $77,737 | Not available |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | Bachelor's Degree | $71,631 | $26,028 |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's Degree | $71,615 | $19,062 |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | Master's Degree | $71,308 | Not available |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $70,343 | $25,620 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Master's Degree | $69,954 | Not available |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $69,934 | $24,000 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | Master's Degree | $69,605 | Not available |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $69,438 | Not available |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | Bachelor's Degree | $69,269 | $26,000 |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $67,960 | Not available |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $67,873 | $19,500 |
| History | Master's Degree | $67,570 | Not available |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | Bachelor's Degree | $66,984 | Not available |
| Design and Applied Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $65,940 | Not available |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | Master's Degree | $64,429 | Not available |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | Master's Degree | $64,235 | Not available |
| Nutrition Sciences | Master's Degree | $63,613 | Not available |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | Master's Degree | $63,447 | Not available |
| Forestry | Bachelor's Degree | $62,919 | $24,200 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | Bachelor's Degree | $62,556 | $20,500 |
| Agriculture, General | Master's Degree | $62,469 | Not available |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Master's Degree | $62,056 | Not available |
| Interior Architecture | Bachelor's Degree | $61,894 | $22,417 |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $61,434 | $24,647 |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $60,981 | $23,009 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $60,835 | $22,000 |
| Nutrition Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $59,528 | $24,750 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | Bachelor's Degree | $58,983 | $21,250 |
| Music | Master's Degree | $57,772 | Not available |
| Soil Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $57,671 | $21,750 |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $57,300 | $23,000 |
| Apparel and Textiles | Bachelor's Degree | $57,184 | $21,250 |
| Biotechnology | Bachelor's Degree | $55,981 | $17,594 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $55,647 | $16,225 |
| Social Work | Bachelor's Degree | $54,720 | $23,387 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $54,370 | $19,500 |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $54,268 | $23,147 |
| Animal Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $53,934 | $22,045 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $53,597 | $23,000 |
| Journalism | Bachelor's Degree | $53,528 | $22,500 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | Bachelor's Degree | $52,971 | $19,628 |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | $52,144 | $24,152 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Bachelor's Degree | $51,830 | $25,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Bachelor's Degree | $50,330 | $15,140 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Master's Degree | $50,330 | Not available |
| Natural Sciences | Master's Degree | $50,052 | Not available |
| International/Globalization Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $48,973 | $19,763 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | $46,154 | $20,500 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $44,226 | $25,000 |
| Anthropology | Bachelor's Degree | $43,129 | $25,367 |
| Plant Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $42,034 | $20,750 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $41,309 | $21,500 |
| Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services | Bachelor's Degree | $39,595 | $24,066 |
| Music | Bachelor's Degree | $39,414 | $26,837 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Bachelor's Degree | $34,552 | Not available |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $20,481 |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $21,020 |
| Philosophy | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $18,894 |
| Public Health | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $26,000 |
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.