10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$58,004at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
Wayne State University
Detroit, MI · 98 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 93 · Federal debt reported for 55
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$58,004 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
13.4 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−25%Estimated return after 10 years
$62,306Observed 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: $14,252 housing and food allowance plus $4,314 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−$6,940
$8,000Annual price−$38,940
$13,000Current college-wide context−$58,940
$16,000Annual price−$70,940
$24,000Annual price−$102,940
$32,000Annual price−$134,940
$40,000Annual price−$166,940
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
252 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 Michigan run 4% 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
$12,766Average net price / year
$27,350Cost of attendance
$21,250Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$225/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$62,306Median earnings · year 5 after completion
58.4%Completion rate
81.2%Admission rate
1,156Average SAT score
25ACT midpoint
15,587Student 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 Wayne State University
What does Wayne State University cost?
Wayne State University reports an average annual net price of $12,766 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Wayne State University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $62,306 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Wayne State University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $21,250. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Wayne State University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 98 field-and-degree records for Wayne State University; 93 report year-4 earnings and 55 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
26,860Students enrolled at any point
17,985Undergraduate students
8,875Graduate 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
58% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
1,266 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
36% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$49,271Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$56,907Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$60,405Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income32%
Middle income42%
Higher income54%
Undergraduate student composition
White53%
Black18%
Hispanic8%
Asian14%
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.
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
$50,183Year 1
$68,551Year 4
$62,306Year 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.
1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$137,4802Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration · Doctoral Degree$130,6423Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Master's Degree$130,5484Psychology, General · Doctoral Degree$120,9015Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$116,3266Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Master's Degree$115,1607Mechanical Engineering · Master's Degree$114,7588Industrial Engineering · Master's Degree$112,213Observed 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.
1Allied Health and Medical Assisting ServicesBachelor's Degree · $99,777 reported+46%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2English Language and Literature, GeneralMaster's Degree · $76,201 reported+37%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, OtherBachelor's Degree · $92,707 reported+36%vs same-degree national median$18,599federal debt4Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsMaster's Degree · $79,789 reported+34%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt5Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's Degree · $66,426 reported+25%vs same-degree national median$18,028federal debt6Psychology, GeneralDoctoral Degree · $120,901 reported+22%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt
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.
Rochester Hills, MI
Oakland University
- Annual net price
- $9,120
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $61,905
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -22%
Ferris State University
- Annual net price
- $8,624
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $62,890
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -17%
Lake Superior State University
- Annual net price
- $12,822
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $57,223
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -47%
Western Michigan University
- Annual net price
- $15,273
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $59,173
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -41%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 98 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $137,480 | Not available | 4 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | Doctoral Degree | $130,642 | Not available | 76 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Master's Degree | $130,548 | Not available | Not reported |
| Psychology, General | Doctoral Degree | $120,901 | Not available | 11 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $116,326 | Not available | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Master's Degree | $115,160 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Master's Degree | $114,758 | Not available | Not reported |
| Industrial Engineering | Master's Degree | $112,213 | Not available | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Master's Degree | $108,995 | Not available | Not reported |
| Medicine | First Professional Degree | $106,280 | Not available | Not reported |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $106,048 | $19,395 | 6 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $104,630 | $20,672 | Not reported |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Master's Degree | $103,906 | Not available | Not reported |
| Industrial Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $101,990 | $24,340 | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $101,268 | Not available | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $100,944 | $25,350 | Not reported |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | Bachelor's Degree | $99,777 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $97,257 | Not available | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $97,023 | Not available | Not reported |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $96,821 | $33,351 | Not reported |
| Law | First Professional Degree | $96,763 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $94,869 | $24,140 | Not reported |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $93,047 | $29,900 | Not reported |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $92,707 | $18,599 | Not reported |
| Communication and Media Studies | Master's Degree | $87,918 | Not available | Not reported |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Doctoral Degree | $86,415 | Not available | 32 |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $84,780 | Not available | 1 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | Bachelor's Degree | $84,695 | Not available | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $84,405 | $30,165 | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $84,157 | $30,548 | Not reported |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | Master's Degree | $81,363 | Not available | Not reported |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $80,630 | $23,250 | Not reported |
| International Business | Bachelor's Degree | $79,882 | $23,472 | Not reported |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | Master's Degree | $79,789 | Not available | 7 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $78,391 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | Master's Degree | $76,774 | Not available | Not reported |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $76,420 | Not available | 9 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Master's Degree | $76,201 | Not available | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $74,703 | $21,500 | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $73,978 | Not available | 24 |
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 Wayne State University 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.