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Public · 4-year

University of Louisville

Louisville, Kentucky

51
C
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Fair value

A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.

Strong return
+$82,168 over 10 years

Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.

Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.

4.9 yrs
Break-even
+104%
10-year ROI
$61,159
Median earnings as of 2024
73% of University of Louisville students earn more than a typical U.S. high-school graduate (about $28,000/yr) ten years after starting — measured from IRS tax records, not surveys.

The numbers behind the verdict

$17,988
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$61,159
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$53,737
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$20,500
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
61%
Graduation rate as of 2024
73%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
73%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
82%
Retention rate as of 2024

Lifetime ROI: the long view

Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.

$82,168
After 10 years
$243,758
After 20 years
$405,348
After 30 years
$566,938
After 40 years

Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.

Equity & access

Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.

By gender
Women
$49,458
Men
$59,447

17% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$49,052
From higher-income families
$58,573

16% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$53,938
Independent students
$53,611

1% gap between the two groups

30%
First-generation students
28%
Take federal student loans
96%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 61%Hispanic 9%Asian 6%Black 16%Other 8%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.

Net price by family income

What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.

Family incomeAverage net price / yr
Family income $0–$30k$15,138
$30k–$48k$14,601
$48k–$75k$16,419
$75k–$110k$20,995
$110k+$25,186

How University of Louisville compares

This college against the Kentucky and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.

Graduate earnings over time

Median earnings of University of Louisville students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.

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Best-paying majors at University of Louisville

Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.

MajorCredentialEarnings (5 yr)Median debt10-yr ROIVerdict
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral SciencesCertificate$222,062+2,361%Strong return
Computer EngineeringAssociate's$104,361$21,306+1,257%Strong return
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringAssociate's$97,308$13,123+1,183%Strong return
Chemical EngineeringAssociate's$97,933$20,500+1,118%Strong return
Management Information Systems and ServicesAssociate's$94,472$22,250+1,022%Strong return
Mechanical EngineeringAssociate's$90,074$21,500+929%Strong return
Civil EngineeringAssociate's$89,150$25,000+879%Strong return
Business/Managerial EconomicsAssociate's$85,507$16,169+868%Strong return
MedicineDoctoral$184,775$199,999+865%Strong return
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringCertificate$112,456+838%Strong return
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsBachelor's$109,102+791%Strong return
Computer EngineeringCertificate$107,301+766%Strong return
Industrial EngineeringCertificate$106,836+759%Strong return
Mechanical EngineeringCertificate$105,609+742%Strong return
Engineering-Related FieldsCertificate$109,136$20,500+708%Strong return
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingCertificate$114,230$55,060+652%Strong return
DentistryDoctoral$169,952$305,953+581%Strong return
Finance and Financial Management ServicesAssociate's$73,986$20,884+565%Strong return
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's$73,116$19,704+552%Strong return
Business/Commerce, GeneralCertificate$99,098$33,183+544%Strong return
Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's$70,410$18,644+494%Strong return
MarketingAssociate's$70,079$19,500+482%Strong return
Civil EngineeringCertificate$84,402+448%Strong return
City/Urban, Community, and Regional PlanningCertificate$72,404+281%Strong return
Educational Administration and SupervisionCertificate$74,228$26,724+258%Strong return

Calculate your own ROI

Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.

ROI at University of Louisville

Or pick your to set cost

Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.

10-yr net gain
Break-even
10-yr ROI

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Admissions & profile

79%
Admission rate
1,150
Average SAT
24
Median ACT
14,727
Undergraduates

Location

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.

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