DegreeVerdict
ROI Calculator
Home›Colleges›Wayne State University
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF

Wayne State University

⌖ Detroit, MI · 98 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$58,004 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.

13.4 yrsModeled economic break-even
−25%Modeled 10-year ROI
$62,306Observed 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
−$58,004at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$231,0640
2
4
6
8
−$58,00410
Years after graduationBreak-even: 13.4 years
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$15,190
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$32,037
Sticker price
Average net price$12,766
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$27,350
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$12,766Average net price / year
$27,350Cost of attendance
$62,306Median earnings · year 5 after completion
58.4%Completion rate
81.2%Admission rate
15,587Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

83thEarnings percentile
50thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$50,183Year 1
$68,551Year 4
$62,306Year 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.

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$112,213

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

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%
Open college profile →Big Rapids, MI

Ferris State University

Annual net price
$8,624
Observed earnings · year 5
$62,890
Modeled 10-year ROI
-17%
Open college profile →Sault Ste Marie, MI

Lake Superior State University

Annual net price
$12,822
Observed earnings · year 5
$57,223
Modeled 10-year ROI
-47%
Open college profile →Kalamazoo, MI

Western Michigan University

Annual net price
$15,273
Observed earnings · year 5
$59,173
Modeled 10-year ROI
-41%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingMaster's Degree$137,480Not available
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and AdministrationDoctoral Degree$130,642Not available
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsMaster's Degree$130,548Not available
Psychology, GeneralDoctoral Degree$120,901Not available
Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree$116,326Not available
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringMaster's Degree$115,160Not available
Mechanical EngineeringMaster's Degree$114,758Not available
Industrial EngineeringMaster's Degree$112,213Not available
Civil EngineeringMaster's Degree$108,995Not available
MedicineFirst Professional Degree$106,280Not available
Biomedical/Medical EngineeringBachelor's Degree$106,048$19,395
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's Degree$104,630$20,672
Biomedical/Medical EngineeringMaster's Degree$103,906Not available
Industrial EngineeringBachelor's Degree$101,990$24,340
Educational Administration and SupervisionGraduate/Professional Certificate$101,268Not available
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringBachelor's Degree$100,944$25,350
Allied Health and Medical Assisting ServicesBachelor's Degree$99,777Not available
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree$97,257Not available
Accounting and Related ServicesMaster's Degree$97,023Not available
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree$96,821$33,351
LawFirst Professional Degree$96,763Not available
Mechanical EngineeringBachelor's Degree$94,869$24,140
Chemical EngineeringBachelor's Degree$93,047$29,900
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, OtherBachelor's Degree$92,707$18,599
Communication and Media StudiesMaster's Degree$87,918Not available
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsDoctoral Degree$86,415Not available
Public HealthMaster's Degree$84,780Not available
Construction Engineering Technology/TechnicianBachelor's Degree$84,695Not available
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingBachelor's Degree$84,405$30,165
Civil EngineeringBachelor's Degree$84,157$30,548
City/Urban, Community, and Regional PlanningMaster's Degree$81,363Not available
Management Information Systems and ServicesBachelor's Degree$80,630$23,250
International BusinessBachelor's Degree$79,882$23,472
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsMaster's Degree$79,789Not available
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsBachelor's Degree$78,391$26,000
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural EducationMaster's Degree$76,774Not available
Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyMaster's Degree$76,420Not available
English Language and Literature, GeneralMaster's Degree$76,201Not available
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBachelor's Degree$74,703$21,500
Educational Administration and SupervisionMaster's Degree$73,978Not available
Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$73,940$21,504
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsMaster's Degree$72,004Not available
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsMaster's Degree$69,900Not available
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, OtherMaster's Degree$68,987Not available
MarketingBachelor's Degree$67,504$24,382
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsBachelor's Degree$67,284$31,975
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessMaster's Degree$66,774Not available
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's Degree$66,426$18,028
Public AdministrationBachelor's Degree$66,396$30,750
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsMaster's Degree$66,118Not available
Special Education and TeachingMaster's Degree$66,099Not available
Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyGraduate/Professional Certificate$65,420Not available
MathematicsBachelor's Degree$64,547$27,000
EconomicsBachelor's Degree$63,972$24,681
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasMaster's Degree$63,408Not available
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesMaster's Degree$63,124Not available
ChemistryBachelor's Degree$63,079$21,590
Funeral Service and Mortuary ScienceBachelor's Degree$62,954$23,648
Student Counseling and Personnel ServicesMaster's Degree$62,891Not available
Social WorkMaster's Degree$61,914Not available
Educational/Instructional Media DesignMaster's Degree$61,791Not available
Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's Degree$61,466$23,812
Human Resources Management and ServicesBachelor's Degree$61,121$24,213
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsGraduate/Professional Certificate$60,674Not available
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationBachelor's Degree$59,025$27,000
Urban Studies/AffairsBachelor's Degree$58,915$25,205
Foods, Nutrition, and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$58,871$22,750
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasBachelor's Degree$58,743$26,000
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesBachelor's Degree$58,291$24,849
Special Education and TeachingBachelor's Degree$58,182$43,500
Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's Degree$57,335$30,500
Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesBachelor's Degree$57,203Not available
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsBachelor's Degree$56,423$28,604
Social WorkBachelor's Degree$56,152$28,012
SociologyBachelor's Degree$55,499$30,422
Public HealthBachelor's Degree$55,302$20,500
Library Science and AdministrationMaster's Degree$54,979Not available
JournalismBachelor's Degree$54,188$29,000
Library Science and AdministrationGraduate/Professional Certificate$53,742Not available
Psychology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$52,435$26,087
Biology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$50,811$21,788
MusicBachelor's Degree$50,340$26,000
HistoryBachelor's Degree$50,251$32,544
Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftMaster's Degree$49,640Not available
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's Degree$48,506$31,000
AnthropologyBachelor's Degree$48,230$26,493
Apparel and TextilesBachelor's Degree$46,737$27,000
English Language and Literature, GeneralBachelor's Degree$42,585$27,000
Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationBachelor's Degree$42,551$34,019
Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's Degree$39,271$31,000
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and ServicesBachelor's Degree$38,926$25,924
Film/Video and Photographic ArtsBachelor's Degree$35,157$29,500
Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftBachelor's Degree$32,525$24,847
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchBachelor's DegreeNot available$26,750
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group StudiesBachelor's DegreeNot available$45,824
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, OtherBachelor's DegreeNot available$23,537
PhilosophyBachelor's DegreeNot available$25,000
DanceBachelor's DegreeNot available$25,000

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.