Frequently asked questions

It puts real numbers on the trade-off between what college costs and what you can expect to earn, so you can decide whether and where to go. It won't push you either way. For many people a trade or apprenticeship is the better answer.

The median is the middle value: half earn more, half earn less. The average gets pulled up by a few very high earners or expensive schools, so it overstates the typical case. Salaries and costs are skewed that way, so we use the national median everywhere.

Salary figures are 2024 national median annual wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. School cost figures (tuition, net price, and cost of attendance) come from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

We total the cost of the degree (tuition or net price, loan interest, and the wages given up while studying), then divide by how much more a graduate earns each year than someone with only a high-school diploma. That gives the number of years for the higher salary to pay back the investment.

Sticker price is tuition and fees only, before aid, with no living costs. Net price is the full cost of attendance (tuition plus living) minus average aid, what students actually pay. Private schools often have a high sticker but a low net price thanks to heavy scholarship discounting; public schools discount less.

By default, an illustrative 6.5% rate on a standard 10-year plan. Real rates change yearly, and income-driven or longer plans stretch repayment and interest well beyond 10 years. In practice the average borrower owes about $39,000 and takes up to 20 years to repay, at roughly $200 to $299 a month (EducationData.org). Check your own terms at StudentAid.gov.

No. These are estimates from national medians and simplifying assumptions. Your own costs, aid, salary, and terms will differ. Treat it as a starting point, not a guarantee.