DegreeVerdict
ROI Calculator
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BACHELOR'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 1440

Paper Science and Engineering: is this bachelor's degree worth it?

National picture across 2 reporting college programs.

MODELED SCENARIO · Strong payoff

+$322,586 over 10 years

National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.

Observed earnings clearly outpace the comparison earnings and estimated education cost in this scenario.

4.3 yrsModeled economic break-even
+135%Modeled 10-year ROI
$101,225Observed earnings · year 4
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$101,225Median reported earnings · year 4
Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5
$27,379Median federal debt
95thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
2Reporting programs
2With year-4 earnings
COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median
25th percentile$99,625National median$101,22575th percentile$99,625
2 programs report year‑4 earnings.
WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Western Michigan University$102,8252University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point$99,625

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Architectural and Engineering ManagersSOC 11-9041 · 1 crosswalk linksChemical EngineersSOC 17-2041 · 1 crosswalk linksEngineering Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1032 · 1 crosswalk linksEngineers, All OtherSOC 17-2199 · 1 crosswalk links
COMPARE NEARBY FIELDS

Similar degrees in the same subject family

These alternatives share the same broad federal CIP family and credential level. Earnings and debt use the same definitions as this page.

Bachelor's Degree

Mechanical Engineering

Year-4 earnings
$91,131
Federal debt
$24,844
326 reporting programs →Bachelor's Degree

Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering

Year-4 earnings
$98,640
Federal debt
$25,000
268 reporting programs →Bachelor's Degree

Civil Engineering

Year-4 earnings
$85,076
Federal debt
$24,667
238 reporting programs →Bachelor's Degree

Computer Engineering

Year-4 earnings
$105,640
Federal debt
$24,500
198 reporting programs →
BEST COLLEGES FOR PAPER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.

#CollegeLocationEarnings, year 4Federal debt10-year ROIVerdict
1Western Michigan UniversityBachelor's DegreeKalamazoo, MI$102,825$27,379+140%Strong payoff
2University of Wisconsin-Stevens PointBachelor's DegreeStevens Point, WI$99,625Not available+129%Strong payoff

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.