10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$178,158at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Northern State University
⌖ Aberdeen, SD · 10 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$178,158 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.
37.4 yrsModeled economic break-even
−73%Modeled 10-year ROI
$51,509Observed 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
$15,812Average net price / year
$22,077Cost of attendance
$51,509Median earnings · year 5 after completion
48.9%Completion rate
93.0%Admission rate
1,273Student 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
$42,847Year 1
$53,116Year 4
$51,509Year 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.
1Biology, General · Bachelor's Degree$70,5452Accounting and Related Services · Bachelor's Degree$67,0723Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's Degree$56,5714Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness · Bachelor's Degree$53,4845Sociology · Bachelor's Degree$50,7656Curriculum and Instruction · Master's Degree$49,6697Finance and Financial Management Services · Bachelor's Degree$48,3248Psychology, General · Bachelor's Degree$45,921Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in SD
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Sioux Falls, SD
Southeast Technical College
- Annual net price
- $17,400
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $50,646
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -77%
Sinte Gleska University
- Annual net price
- $12,768
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $51,687
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -71%
Mitchell Technical College
- Annual net price
- $13,460
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $53,624
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -63%
Black Hills State University
- Annual net price
- $15,911
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $46,420
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -94%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $70,545 | $25,300 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $67,072 | $29,816 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $56,571 | $27,000 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $53,484 | $24,500 |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $50,765 | Not available |
| Curriculum and Instruction | Master's Degree | $49,669 | Not available |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $48,324 | Not available |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $45,921 | Not available |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $44,147 | $24,242 |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $26,000 |
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.