10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$455,894at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Carnegie Mellon University
⌖ Pittsburgh, PA · 41 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Strong payoff
+$455,894 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
Observed earnings clearly outpace the comparison earnings and estimated education cost in this scenario.
4.0 yrsModeled economic break-even
+148%Modeled 10-year ROI
$121,367Observed earnings · year 5
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.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$31,944Average net price / year
$83,654Cost of attendance
$121,367Median earnings · year 5 after completion
94.1%Completion rate
11.7%Admission rate
7,304Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$88,268Year 1
$132,971Year 4
$121,367Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$268,1212Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$250,1683Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering · Master's Degree$221,1704Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Master's Degree$209,8475Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$208,5036Computer and Information Sciences, General · Master's Degree$193,1547Computer and Information Sciences, General · Bachelor's Degree$187,4378Cognitive Science · Bachelor's Degree$162,106Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in PA
Currently operating private nonprofit institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Philadelphia, PA
University of Pennsylvania
- Annual net price
- $28,699
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $115,598
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +139%
Lehigh University
- Annual net price
- $36,931
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $101,331
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +72%
Villanova University
- Annual net price
- $43,756
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $98,831
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +52%
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
- Annual net price
- $29,689
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $87,323
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +42%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $268,121 | $21,442 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $250,168 | $22,250 |
| Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering | Master's Degree | $221,170 | Not available |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Master's Degree | $209,847 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $208,503 | Not available |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Master's Degree | $193,154 | Not available |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $187,437 | Not available |
| Cognitive Science | Bachelor's Degree | $162,106 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $160,783 | $23,250 |
| Statistics | Bachelor's Degree | $156,743 | $21,375 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Master's Degree | $150,366 | Not available |
| Systems Science and Theory | Bachelor's Degree | $146,929 | $23,250 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | Master's Degree | $146,578 | Not available |
| Mathematics and Statistics, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $145,741 | Not available |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $144,886 | $22,020 |
| Design and Applied Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $138,588 | $24,500 |
| Statistics | Master's Degree | $132,407 | Not available |
| Mechanical Engineering | Master's Degree | $127,603 | Not available |
| Engineering-Related Fields | Master's Degree | $126,105 | Not available |
| Materials Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $119,715 | Not available |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | Master's Degree | $113,586 | Not available |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $110,378 | $23,125 |
| Engineering, General | Bachelor's Degree | $110,208 | Not available |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $109,648 | Not available |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $105,623 | $22,777 |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $105,199 | Not available |
| Public Policy Analysis | Master's Degree | $103,268 | Not available |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $84,419 | Not available |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $82,433 | Not available |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Master's Degree | $78,716 | Not available |
| Architecture | Bachelor's Degree | $73,439 | Not available |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $71,205 | Not available |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Bachelor's Degree | $62,027 | $25,515 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | Master's Degree | $59,727 | Not available |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $53,726 | $21,500 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Master's Degree | $52,930 | Not available |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Bachelor's Degree | $40,073 | $25,000 |
| Music | Master's Degree | $39,953 | Not available |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $29,000 |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $23,506 |
| Music | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $24,431 |
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.