Free Graduate School ROI Calculator
Calculate the return on investment for attending graduate school by comparing earnings increase to total cost and opportunity cost.
ROI over 10 Years (%)
38.9
Breakeven (years after grad)7.2
10-Year Net Earnings Gain$70,000
ROI over 10 Years (%) vs Program Length (years)
How to Calculate Graduate School ROI
Grad school ROI considers both direct costs and opportunity costs.
Formula
Total Investment = Tuition + (Current Salary x Program Years)
ROI = ((Salary Increase x 10 - Total Investment) / Total Investment) x 100
Breakeven = Total Investment / Annual Salary Increase
Example Calculation
A 2-year program costing $80,000, current salary $50,000, expected post-grad salary $75,000.
- 01Salary increase = $75,000 - $50,000 = $25,000/year
- 02Opportunity cost = $50,000 x 2 = $100,000
- 03Total investment = $80,000 + $100,000 = $180,000
- 04Breakeven = $180,000 / $25,000 = 7.2 years after graduation
- 0510-year net gain = $25,000 x 10 - $180,000 = $70,000
- 06ROI = ($70,000 / $180,000) x 100 = 38.9%