10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$97,146at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
Minnesota State University-Mankato
Mankato, MN · 64 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 64 · Federal debt reported for 42
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$97,146 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
16.1 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−38%Estimated return after 10 years
$60,941Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
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.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $12,420 housing and food allowance plus $2,656 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$20,590
$8,000Annual price−$52,590
$16,000Annual price−$84,590
$19,000Current college-wide context−$96,590
$24,000Annual price−$116,590
$32,000Annual price−$148,590
$40,000Annual price−$180,590
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Higher Learning Commission
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- City
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
2,645 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in Minnesota run 1% below the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$19,139Average net price / year
$23,995Cost of attendance
$21,106Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$224/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$60,941Median earnings · year 5 after completion
53.9%Completion rate
88.4%Admission rate
1,150Average SAT score
22ACT midpoint
11,703Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about Minnesota State University-Mankato
What does Minnesota State University-Mankato cost?
Minnesota State University-Mankato reports an average annual net price of $19,139 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Minnesota State University-Mankato graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $60,941 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Minnesota State University-Mankato graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $21,106. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Minnesota State University-Mankato worth the same?
No. The current release contains 64 field-and-degree records for Minnesota State University-Mankato; 64 report year-4 earnings and 42 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
19,026Students enrolled at any point
16,611Undergraduate students
2,415Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
52% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
728 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
68% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$53,431Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$55,243Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$60,479Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income58%
Middle income71%
Higher income76%
Undergraduate student composition
White71%
Black6%
Hispanic6%
Asian3%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$71,585Year 1
$101,595Year 5
$142,023Year 10
Computer Programming.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$67,426Year 1
$97,356Year 5
$132,984Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 14
$71,662Year 1
$90,747Year 5
$114,034Year 10
Air Transportation.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 49
$37,179Year 1
$102,529Year 5
$105,799Year 10
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 15
$65,710Year 1
$84,300Year 5
$101,802Year 10
Clinical Psychology.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 42
$60,342Year 1
$96,791Year 5
$98,269Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$52,019Year 1
$76,241Year 5
$97,160Year 10
Astronomy and Astrophysics.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 40
$36,674Year 1
$59,848Year 5
$96,791Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$49,152Year 1
$64,235Year 4
$60,941Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$125,0592Air Transportation · Bachelor's Degree$103,8583Construction Management · Bachelor's Degree$102,0904Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology · Master's Degree$99,9345Educational Administration and Supervision · First Professional Degree$98,3736Computer and Information Sciences, General · Bachelor's Degree$95,3987Accounting and Related Services · Master's Degree$88,1878Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$85,655Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyMaster's Degree · $99,934 reported+53%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma · $51,245 reported+48%vs same-degree national median$26,206federal debt3Educational Administration and SupervisionFirst Professional Degree · $98,373 reported+26%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt4Air TransportationBachelor's Degree · $103,858 reported+21%vs same-degree national median$20,500federal debt5Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree · $125,059 reported+21%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt6Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchBachelor's Degree · $65,513 reported+19%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt
Comparable colleges in MN
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Winona, MN
Winona State University
- Annual net price
- $17,503
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $61,916
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -32%
University of Minnesota-Duluth
- Annual net price
- $18,743
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $64,734
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -23%
Metropolitan State University
- Annual net price
- $16,863
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $63,739
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -24%
University of Minnesota-Crookston
- Annual net price
- $12,212
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $60,840
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -31%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 64 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $125,059 | Not available | Not reported |
| Air Transportation | Bachelor's Degree | $103,858 | $20,500 | Not reported |
| Construction Management | Bachelor's Degree | $102,090 | $26,499 | Not reported |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $99,934 | Not available | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | First Professional Degree | $98,373 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $95,398 | $20,625 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $88,187 | Not available | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $85,655 | $28,500 | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $85,286 | $27,886 | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $83,189 | Not available | 56 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $83,115 | $28,500 | 0 |
| Engineering, General | Bachelor's Degree | $82,903 | $27,627 | 1 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $82,429 | $25,257 | 0 |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $80,795 | $21,474 | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $80,482 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | Master's Degree | $75,574 | Not available | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $74,989 | $25,234 | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $74,852 | $24,233 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $73,726 | $24,250 | 58 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $72,882 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $71,402 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $70,486 | $22,350 | 26 |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $70,257 | Not available | Not reported |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $68,772 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| International Business | Bachelor's Degree | $68,079 | Not available | Not reported |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Bachelor's Degree | $65,513 | Not available | Not reported |
| Education, General | Master's Degree | $65,106 | Not available | Not reported |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $64,585 | $25,000 | 0 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Master's Degree | $62,812 | Not available | Not reported |
| Special Education and Teaching | Master's Degree | $62,401 | Not available | Not reported |
| Communication and Media Studies | Master's Degree | $60,662 | Not available | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $60,198 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Master's Degree | $60,121 | Not available | Not reported |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $59,997 | $25,460 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Master's Degree | $59,887 | Not available | Not reported |
| Human Resources Management and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $59,187 | $27,312 | Not reported |
| Geography and Cartography | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $59,174 | Not available | 11 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Master's Degree | $58,922 | Not available | Not reported |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $57,506 | $24,420 | 2 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $57,266 | $27,269 | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every Minnesota State University-Mankato program record →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.