A recent study by salary tracking firm PayScale.com has calculated the average return on investment for colleges in the U.S.
So how do Colorado's colleges stack up? Check out the return on investment rate for all of the state's higher learning institutions below. It's important to note, however, that graduates who pursue higher education (Master's degree, MBA, MD, JD, PhD, etc.) are not included in the study.
PayScale's methodology for the study states:
To calculate the 30 year Net Return on Investment, we start with the Earnings Differential less the Total Cost for a Graduate of 2009.
Those who graduate earn an income premium over their classmates who do not graduate. We assume those who don't graduate earn slightly more than high school graduates, enough to compensate for their education costs and years spent in college, giving them a zero 30 Year Net Return on Investment.
Since not all people who attend college graduate, we then multiply the Earnings Differential less the Total Cost for a Graduate of 2009 by the overall graduation rate, giving the 30 Year Net Return on Investment.
This is an expected net return as it factors in the school's overall graduation rate. For example, a school with an 80% graduation rate, $1,000,000 Earnings Differential for graduates, and $200,000 in Total Costs would have a $640,000 30 Year Net Return on Investment.