UoPeople’s ROI Is 30 Times Higher Than US Average

Pasadena, California – With the cost of earning a college degree continuing to skyrocket and more Americans questioning the financial return of their investment in higher education, a new independent economic report finds that  University of the People’s return on investment (ROI) for a bachelor’s degree is 30 times higher than of the average cost of earning a bachelor’s degree in the U.S.

The report produced by Tripp Umbach, the nation’s leading authority on higher education’s economic impact, indicates that the return on investment of UoPeople graduates in 2023 equals $250 for every $1 invested in the program while the return of investment of obtaining a bachelor’s degree on average for U.S. graduates equals $8.2 for every $1 invested in a degree program. In 2023, the average cost of earning a bachelor’s degree in the U.S. was $146K, compared to $4,800 at UoPeople, which means that ROI for a bachelor’s degree from UoPeople is approximately 30 times higher than that of the average U.S. bachelor’s degree.

The report also found that UoPeople’s 931 U.S. graduates in 2023 will generate3 $1.3 billion in total economic impact over their working lives. Projections also indicate that increased earnings generated by 2023 graduates will support 10,486 new jobs, showcasing the tangible effects of UoPeople’s educational initiatives on workforce development over the next 26 years. Furthermore, UoPeople’s 2023 U.S. graduates with a bachelor’s degree will, on average, earn $2.8 million over their working lives. This amount is $1.2 million higher than the $1.6 million that high school graduates will make in their lifetimes. 

“While most Americans do agree with the importance of higher education, more and more of them argue that it is not worth the investment,” said UoPeople President Shai Reshef. “The recent study by Tripp Umbach clearly shows that the ROI on higher education can be extremely beneficial to an individual’s future success. America needs to increase access to higher education to more students if we want to remain competitive in today’s global economy. That is why we need to develop more innovative models, like UoPeople, which makes higher education accessible, affordable, and with the right quality.”

Paul Umbach, Ph.D., the president of Tripp Umbach, noted that “our firm was surprised by the incredible ROI that UoPeople provides for its students. UoPeople is creating tremendous upward economic mobility for its graduates by offering a quality educational experience at an extremely affordable price point.”

UoPeople currently enrolls more than 137,000 students from over 200 countries. Many of the university’s graduates are working in the leading companies around the world, including Deloitte, Amazon, Apple, Pfizer, Google, Microsoft, and IBM. This report was conducted to measure the overall economic impact of graduates from UoPeople. This report underscores the vital role of UoPeople graduates in advancing their success and making a significant and positive contribution to the overall economic prosperity of the United States.

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About University of the People

University of the People (UoPeople) is the Education Revolution. It is the first non-profit, tuition-free, American-accredited online university. Currently, there more than 137,000 students from over 200 countries and territories. Designed to open access to higher education globally, UoPeople helps qualified high school graduates overcome financial, geographic, political, and personal constraints keeping them from collegiate studies. The university offers certificate, associate, and bachelor’s degree programs in business administration, computer science, and health science, as well as MBA, MSIT, and M.Ed. programs. Graduates of UoPeople can be found working at such companies as Deloitte, Amazon, Apple, Pfizer, Google, Microsoft, and IBM. UoPeople collaborates with Harvard Business School Online, NYU Abu Dhabi, McGill University, and the University of Edinburgh and has been supported by foundations such as the Gates Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Hewlett Foundation. UoPeople President Shai Reshef recently received the Yidan Prize for Educational Development, known as the “Nobel Prize” of higher ed. Learn more at www.uopeople.edu.