Almost Half of US Master’s Degree Courses Have a Negative Return on Investment: Report

Almost a third of American college students are enrolled in programs that do not generate a positive return on investment (ROI), according to a recent analysis by non-profit thinktank The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity (FREOPP). The May 9 analysis estimated the ROI for 53,000 certificate and degree programs. ROI was defined as the increase in lifetime earnings, minus the costs of college and lost earnings while enrolled, that a person can achieve after pursuing higher education. Overall, 31 percent of students were found to be enrolled in programs that do not generate any ROI. The returns for these programs were negative, meaning the earning benefits generated by the program do not meet the cost of the program. Almost 25 percent of bachelor’s degrees, 43 percent of associate degrees, and nearly 50 percent of master’s degrees had negative ROI....