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.
26.9 yrsModeled economic break-even
−63%Modeled 10-year ROI
$54,394Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$158,908at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$252,8480
2
4
6
8
−$158,90810
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 in-state tuition$11,952Sticker pricePublished out-of-state tuition$22,296Sticker priceAverage net price$18,212Title IV student averageCost of attendance$25,988Tuition + living budget
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES
Cost, completion and earnings context
$18,212Average net price / year
$25,988Cost of attendance
$54,394Median earnings · year 5 after completion
47.2%Completion rate
81.7%Admission rate
3,590Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
71thEarnings percentile33thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$41,804Year 1
$56,249Year 4
$54,394Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST
Comparable colleges in VT
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
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.
Vermont State University ROI, Cost & Earnings | DegreeVerdict