Model a degree as tuition plus foregone wages, then compare that total investment against the salary premium you expect after school.
Estimated Break-even
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Enter school cost and salary assumptions to estimate degree payback time, lifetime premium, and simple ROI.
Tap an example to prefill the calculator with sample values.
Public university case
Moderate cost and strong salary premium
Useful for seeing how tuition plus foregone wages change the real payback timeline.
Result: The degree still pays back, but the opportunity cost matters almost as much as tuition.
Community college transfer
Lower cost profile with a durable premium
Shows how lower up-front cost can change ROI even if the salary premium is not huge.
Result: Lower cost can make the same salary premium look much stronger on payback.
Expensive private path
High cost degree with slower payback
Useful when the sticker price is high enough that the first decade does not automatically justify it.
Result: An expensive path can still work, but the break-even period stretches fast.