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Public · 4-year

Temple University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

43
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.

Break-even
+$68,528 over 10 years

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

The payoff is roughly break-even — the degree recovers its cost, but slowly.

6.4 yrs
Break-even
+56%
10-year ROI
$64,021
Median earnings as of 2024
79% of Temple University 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

$28,198
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$64,021
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$47,460
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$24,395
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
75%
Graduation rate as of 2024
79%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
77%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
83%
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.

$68,528
After 10 years
$258,738
After 20 years
$448,948
After 30 years
$639,158
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
$61,001
Men
$67,703

10% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$59,644
From higher-income families
$66,013

10% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$64,134
Independent students
$61,687

4% gap between the two groups

30%
First-generation students
53%
Take federal student loans
89%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 40%Hispanic 11%Asian 15%Black 20%Other 13%

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$22,694
$30k–$48k$23,431
$48k–$75k$26,534
$75k–$110k$29,397
$110k+$34,947

How Temple University compares

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

Graduate earnings over time

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

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Best-paying majors at Temple University

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
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingMaster's$132,363+1,449%Strong return
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralAssociate's$104,762$25,000+812%Strong return
Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsAssociate's$103,049$24,187+790%Strong return
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringAssociate's$102,736$26,500+774%Strong return
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and AdministrationCertificate$142,319$37,499+670%Strong return
Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyMaster's$88,195+666%Strong return
InsuranceAssociate's$94,228$24,750+653%Strong return
Finance and Financial Management ServicesCertificate$128,328+639%Strong return
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's$92,650$26,000+623%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCertificate$138,380$45,067+623%Strong return
Civil Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's$84,373+598%Strong return
Mechanical EngineeringAssociate's$87,733$25,000+552%Strong return
Accounting and Related ServicesCertificate$118,242$20,500+509%Strong return
Civil EngineeringAssociate's$83,575$25,872+486%Strong return
Legal Research and Advanced Professional StudiesCertificate$121,289$49,688+483%Strong return
Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementCertificate$115,503$27,600+474%Strong return
Finance and Financial Management ServicesAssociate's$82,053$23,125+472%Strong return
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and AdministrationDoctoral$136,420$136,167+463%Strong return
DentistryDoctoral$164,874$296,851+443%Strong return
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, GeneralAssociate's$80,338$27,263+433%Strong return
Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's$78,957$23,562+423%Strong return
Human Resources Management and ServicesAssociate's$78,584$25,750+411%Strong return
Health and Medical Administrative ServicesCertificate$102,591+411%Strong return
Real EstateAssociate's$77,707$22,500+406%Strong return
MedicineDoctoral$136,928$208,393+387%Strong return

Calculate your own ROI

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

ROI at Temple University

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

80%
Admission rate
0
Average SAT
0
Median ACT
20,970
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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