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Public · 4-year

University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

Cincinnati, Ohio

47
D
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Weak value

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

Strong return
+$80,314 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.

5.8 yrs
Break-even
+73%
10-year ROI
$64,065
Median earnings as of 2024
73% of University of Cincinnati-Main Campus 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

$25,648
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$64,065
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$48,242
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$21,250
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
75%
Graduation rate as of 2024
73%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
75%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
85%
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.

$80,314
After 10 years
$270,964
After 20 years
$461,614
After 30 years
$652,264
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
$49,079
Men
$62,665

22% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$43,211
From higher-income families
$63,899

32% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$56,888
Independent students
$49,869

12% gap between the two groups

31%
First-generation students
37%
Take federal student loans
96%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 69%Hispanic 5%Asian 5%Black 9%Other 11%

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$17,974
$30k–$48k$18,092
$48k–$75k$22,492
$75k–$110k$27,596
$110k+$29,616

How University of Cincinnati-Main Campus compares

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

Graduate earnings over time

Median earnings of University of Cincinnati-Main Campus students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.

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Best-paying majors at University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

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
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and AdministrationMaster's$134,149+1,638%Strong return
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingCertificate$77,091$17,769+899%Strong return
Chemical EngineeringAssociate's$92,906$21,083+712%Strong return
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringAssociate's$94,336$27,000+707%Strong return
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralAssociate's$91,341$22,400+679%Strong return
Mechanical EngineeringAssociate's$90,998$24,999+662%Strong return
Information Science/StudiesAssociate's$88,568$22,250+633%Strong return
Civil EngineeringAssociate's$88,041$24,500+615%Strong return
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space EngineeringAssociate's$86,633$20,750+607%Strong return
Biomedical/Medical EngineeringAssociate's$85,432$20,625+588%Strong return
Mechanical EngineeringCertificate$114,633+579%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's$83,673$22,500+550%Strong return
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingProfessional$120,451$50,998+523%Strong return
Finance and Financial Management ServicesAssociate's$80,523$20,500+505%Strong return
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space EngineeringCertificate$105,853+493%Strong return
Information Science/StudiesCertificate$62,577$12,710+481%Strong return
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsCertificate$62,939$14,750+478%Strong return
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingCertificate$115,383$54,666+475%Strong return
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsAssociate's$78,076$22,166+457%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCertificate$107,833$33,736+447%Strong return
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's$76,330$20,464+433%Strong return
Health and Medical Administrative ServicesAssociate's$75,917$25,000+412%Strong return
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's$75,664$25,443+406%Strong return
Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's$74,355$22,500+393%Strong return
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, OtherAssociate's$73,440$25,000+371%Strong return

Calculate your own ROI

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

ROI at University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

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

85%
Admission rate
1,282
Average SAT
27
Median ACT
29,882
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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