Bright Futures™ Engine College Degree ROI Calculator

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Where a student decides to go to college and what they choose to major in is a big financial decision for not only students, but parents too. Ascent’s Bright Futures™ Engine aims to bring transparency to the college decision journey by helping students and parents evaluate the return of their college investment.

Start your journey by selecting a school and major to see how much money you can expect to earn the first year after graduation.

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BFE Index Avg. Salary Cost of Attendence

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How the Bright Futures™ Engine Works

Ascent’s Bright Futures™ Engine powers students to evaluate the return of their educational investment by comparing the expected salary of students with their college major the first year after graduation with the cost of attendance for in-state and out-of-state colleges. Ascent’s Bright Futures™ Engine college ROI calculator scores colleges nationwide, empowering students to find the school and major that offers them the greatest return of their investment.

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Discover expert tips and best practices to pay for college, including:

Choosing a school that aligns with your budget
Understanding tuition bills to manage them effectively
Getting the most out of your financial aid
Taking the stress out of student loans and borrowing responsibly

This quick and interactive guide gives parents, guardians, students, and cosigners the confidence to navigate college financing.

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BFE FAQs

How should I use Ascent’s Bright Futures™ Engine?

The Bright Futures™ Engine tool was created to help students evaluate the return of their educational investment by major, school, expected post-graduation income and cost of attendance.

What is the Bright Futures™ Engine (BFE) Index?

The Bright Futures™ Engine Index is the result when comparing the expected post-graduation income to the cost of attendance. Results are based on a range of 1 to 999. Schools with higher BFE indexes have greater returns of investment. A spaceship icon will appear for BFE indexes equal to or greater than 999.

The Bright Futures™ Engine Index is calculated by:
(expected 1st year salary post-graduation) / (cost of attendance for 1 year – Financial aid) * 100

Why does a spaceship icon only appear next to some Bright Futures™ Engine indexes?

A spaceship icon will appear next to any school and major combination with an index greater than 999 (the average 1st year salary is 10x greater than the yearly cost to attend, less financial aid!).

Does this calculation include Financial Aid?

The initial calculation of the BFE Index does not include financial aid, but students can add their expected financial aid amount to each school, which can then be factored into the Bright Futures™ Engine Index.

Does the Bright Futures™ Engine consider both in-state and out-of-state costs?

Yes, the Bright Futures™ Engine college ROI calculator considers both in-state and out-of-state tuition costs for students.

How did Ascent select the schools that are included in the Bright Futures™ Engine?

The Bright Futures™ Engine includes Title IV bachelor degree programs that are eligible for federal loans and share these exceptional features:

High graduation rates overall
High graduation rates within 4 years

What majors are included in the Bright Futures™ Engine?

The Bright Futures™ Engine includes most majors listed at schools nationwide. Can’t find your major? We periodically update the Bright Futures™ Engine to provide students and parents with the most accurate results. We may still be waiting for some schools to update their full list of majors, but we encourage you to keep exploring even if your major isn’t listed!

How do you define the cost of attendance for each school and major?

The cost of attendance, for in- and out- of state schools, are defined by what is reported by the schools to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (“IPEDS”). The costs reported to IPEDS includes tuition fees, room and board, and books and supplies.

Where does the data come from for expected first year salary post-graduation?

Ascent leverages several proprietary and public data sources, including data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the College Scorecard to calculate an average salary for students with a particular college major during their first-year post-graduation.

Do you offer private student loans to all the schools included in the Bright Futures™ Engine?

Yes, we offer private student loans to all of the schools in the Bright Futures™ Engine.

Disclaimer of liability: Although the data found using the Bright Futures™ Engine has been produced and processed from sources believed to be reliable, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made regarding accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, or reliability of any information.

Guide to Paying for College

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Bright Futures™ Engine College Degree ROI Calculator

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How the Bright Futures™ Engine Works

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BFE FAQs

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