10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$4,100at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Michigan State University
⌖ East Lansing, MI · 130 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff
+$4,100 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
9.8 yrsModeled economic break-even
+2%Modeled 10-year ROI
$71,282Observed 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
$19,680Average net price / year
$32,198Cost of attendance
$71,282Median earnings · year 5 after completion
80.7%Completion rate
84.8%Admission rate
40,922Student 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
$50,898Year 1
$74,093Year 4
$71,282Year 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.
1Business/Commerce, General · Master's Degree$188,0852Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$142,9273Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods · Master's Degree$139,5894Medicine · First Professional Degree$130,5035Veterinary Medicine · First Professional Degree$127,6216Human Resources Management and Services · Master's Degree$127,4817Computer and Information Sciences, General · Master's Degree$123,6218Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$118,130Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in MI
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Dearborn, MI
University of Michigan-Dearborn
- Annual net price
- $9,492
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $68,752
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +9%
Central Michigan University
- Annual net price
- $17,597
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $57,741
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -49%
Wayne State University
- Annual net price
- $12,766
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $62,306
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -25%
Western Michigan University
- Annual net price
- $15,273
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $59,173
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -41%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business/Commerce, General | Master's Degree | $188,085 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $142,927 | Not available |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Master's Degree | $139,589 | Not available |
| Medicine | First Professional Degree | $130,503 | Not available |
| Veterinary Medicine | First Professional Degree | $127,621 | Not available |
| Human Resources Management and Services | Master's Degree | $127,481 | Not available |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Master's Degree | $123,621 | Not available |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $118,130 | Not available |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $116,905 | $24,022 |
| Chemistry | Doctoral Degree | $113,129 | Not available |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | Master's Degree | $110,091 | Not available |
| Food Science and Technology | Master's Degree | $106,264 | Not available |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $105,724 | Not available |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $104,627 | $24,999 |
| Engineering, General | Bachelor's Degree | $102,301 | $22,500 |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $102,223 | $26,573 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $102,017 | $23,250 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Doctoral Degree | $101,377 | Not available |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $100,481 | $22,500 |
| Marketing | Master's Degree | $100,453 | Not available |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $97,946 | $24,000 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $97,236 | $23,250 |
| Law | First Professional Degree | $96,342 | Not available |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $96,093 | $23,250 |
| Materials Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $95,761 | $27,925 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | Bachelor's Degree | $95,387 | $25,363 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | Bachelor's Degree | $94,143 | $23,756 |
| Statistics | Bachelor's Degree | $93,930 | $25,625 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Doctoral Degree | $91,736 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $91,187 | $23,250 |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $90,650 | $27,000 |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $90,453 | $23,896 |
| Agricultural Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $86,498 | $28,000 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | Master's Degree | $86,080 | Not available |
| Human Resources Management and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $85,886 | $23,475 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Master's Degree | $84,105 | Not available |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $81,743 | Not available |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other | Master's Degree | $80,358 | Not available |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $80,129 | $28,500 |
| Engineering, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $79,609 | $22,875 |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $79,428 | $24,250 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | Doctoral Degree | $79,274 | Not available |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | Doctoral Degree | $76,183 | Not available |
| Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Bachelor's Degree | $75,147 | Not available |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $74,998 | Not available |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $74,956 | Not available |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $74,709 | $24,766 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | Bachelor's Degree | $73,880 | $23,442 |
| Public Policy Analysis | Master's Degree | $72,828 | Not available |
| Anthropology | Doctoral Degree | $72,767 | Not available |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $72,414 | $24,753 |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $72,226 | $21,500 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $71,324 | Not available |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | Bachelor's Degree | $71,158 | Not available |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $70,940 | $27,000 |
| Food Science and Technology | Bachelor's Degree | $70,380 | $25,000 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | Bachelor's Degree | $69,651 | $22,625 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Bachelor's Degree | $69,300 | $23,899 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | Bachelor's Degree | $69,108 | $24,125 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | Bachelor's Degree | $68,913 | $21,755 |
| Soil Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $67,666 | $21,859 |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | Master's Degree | $67,489 | Not available |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $67,290 | $26,000 |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $67,032 | $22,576 |
| Nutrition Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $66,437 | $25,000 |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's Degree | $65,983 | $28,481 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $65,667 | $24,915 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Master's Degree | $65,302 | Not available |
| Special Education and Teaching | Master's Degree | $64,777 | Not available |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $64,738 | Not available |
| Music | Doctoral Degree | $64,672 | Not available |
| International/Globalization Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $64,372 | $27,000 |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $64,368 | Not available |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $64,018 | $26,849 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $63,419 | $22,774 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $63,115 | Not available |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $62,715 | $26,000 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | Master's Degree | $62,675 | Not available |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Master's Degree | $62,529 | Not available |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | Bachelor's Degree | $62,448 | $29,869 |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $62,204 | $26,985 |
| Music | Master's Degree | $62,193 | Not available |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | Bachelor's Degree | $61,953 | $29,301 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | Master's Degree | $61,650 | Not available |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Master's Degree | $61,573 | Not available |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $61,309 | $23,384 |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $61,187 | $13,722 |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $60,807 | $26,750 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Bachelor's Degree | $60,728 | $23,750 |
| Education, General | Master's Degree | $60,007 | Not available |
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $59,811 | Not available |
| Journalism | Bachelor's Degree | $59,498 | $24,985 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Bachelor's Degree | $59,315 | $28,000 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | Bachelor's Degree | $58,989 | $24,750 |
| Social Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $58,797 | $29,198 |
| Public Policy Analysis | Bachelor's Degree | $58,535 | $26,337 |
| Special Education and Teaching | Bachelor's Degree | $58,522 | $26,375 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | Bachelor's Degree | $58,046 | $25,020 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Master's Degree | $57,864 | Not available |
| Social Work | Bachelor's Degree | $57,321 | $26,169 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $56,662 | $25,750 |
| Geography and Cartography | Bachelor's Degree | $56,515 | Not available |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $56,040 | $25,250 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Master's Degree | $55,911 | Not available |
| Forestry | Bachelor's Degree | $55,724 | $31,000 |
| Genetics | Bachelor's Degree | $55,404 | $25,125 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $55,159 | $26,500 |
| Animal Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $54,751 | $26,000 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $53,740 | $29,750 |
| Design and Applied Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $53,250 | $28,175 |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Bachelor's Degree | $53,183 | $23,000 |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Bachelor's Degree | $52,496 | $20,620 |
| Education, General | Bachelor's Degree | $52,243 | $27,000 |
| Music | Bachelor's Degree | $52,132 | $26,750 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $51,658 | $27,422 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Bachelor's Degree | $51,436 | $27,312 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Bachelor's Degree | $50,127 | $27,437 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $50,098 | $30,875 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | Bachelor's Degree | $49,948 | $28,425 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | Bachelor's Degree | $49,377 | $24,939 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | $49,154 | $25,443 |
| Plant Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $47,404 | $24,250 |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | $47,224 | $27,000 |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $46,669 | Not available |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $45,167 | $26,130 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Bachelor's Degree | $42,820 | $22,250 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $41,768 | $27,000 |
| Anthropology | Bachelor's Degree | $41,512 | $28,084 |
| Agricultural Production Operations | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $35,265 | $11,000 |
| Physics | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $27,000 |
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.