University of Nevada-Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada · Public · 96.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 67/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
UNLV posts a 67/100 ROI score in our Fair Value tier, anchored by an excellent 48.4% earnings premium over the high-school baseline. Earnings of $39,300 six years out climb to $55,037 by year ten. The school's affordability is its biggest advantage: in-state tuition of $9,748 and a net price of just $10,359 push four-year cost to $41,436. Median debt of $19,450 against $39,300 early earnings yields a 0.50 debt-to-earnings ratio, well within the manageable zone, with a 9.1-year payback period. The student body of 24,622 is large, with a 40.1% Pell rate reflecting Nevada's economic profile and UNLV's role as the affordable urban public option. Engineering, nursing, computer science, and accounting programs deliver strong outcomes; hospitality administration (425 graduates, the largest program) and broad business programs deliver respectable outcomes.
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $9,748/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $27,411/yr |
| Average net price | $10,359/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $41,436 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $55,037 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $39,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $19,450 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $206 |
| Estimated payback period | 9.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 50.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 24,622 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $9,748/year ($27,411/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $10,359/year, or roughly $41,436 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $8,526/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $15,905/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $19,450, which works out to about $206 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($39,300) and comes to 0.49, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $8,526 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $8,537 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $10,606 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $13,513 |
| $110,001+ | $15,905 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $8,526 net - an outstanding number reflecting Pell, Nevada Promise, and institutional aid. Across four years that's $34,104 against $39,300 graduate earnings Pell-eligible Nevada residents with clear program targets should treat UNLV as a strong value play.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001 - $48,000 bracket pays $8,537 (essentially the same as the lowest bracket), $48,001 - $75,000 pays $10,606, and $75,001 - $110,000 pays $13,513 - a clean monotonic progression. Middle-income families pay $34,000-$54,000 over four years, manageable against expected earnings. The math is solid for any in-state student picking a credentialing program.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $15,905 - about $63,620 across four years. High-income full-pay students get strong engineering and nursing programs at a price that lets them graduate debt-free with family support.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Nevada-Las Vegas with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $51,200 | C |
| Hospitality Administration | $58,719 | C+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $57,556 | C+ |
| Teacher Education | $56,095 | C+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $53,798 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $94,600 | A |
| Communication and Media Studies | $56,944 | C |
| Biology | $62,087 | D |
| Computer Science | $94,475 | B+ |
| Accounting | $74,490 | B |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
UNLV's nursing program is the school's flagship value play: 224 graduates with first-year earnings of $83,327 climbing to $94,600 by year four. Median debt of $19,733 yields a 0.24 debt-to-earnings ratio - an A grade. With Nevada's hospital labor shortages and Las Vegas's dense healthcare market, BSN graduates step directly into 6-figure-trajectory careers.
Computer Science
Computer Science graduates 169 students with first-year earnings of $64,854 climbing to $94,475 by year four. Median debt of $21,012 yields a 0.32 debt-to-earnings ratio (B+ grade).
Hospitality Administration
Hospitality is UNLV's second-largest program by graduate count, with 425 graduates annually. First-year earnings of $35,277 climb to $58,719 by year four, with $19,003 median debt yielding a 0.54 debt-to-earnings ratio (C+ grade). Direct pipeline into Las Vegas's gaming, hotel, and entertainment industries. Earnings are not exceptional, but the local network and industry connections are a strength.
Accounting
Accounting graduates 169 students with first-year earnings of $49,751 climbing to $74,490 by year four. Median debt of $18,159 yields a 0.37 debt-to-earnings ratio (B grade). CPA-pipeline students who pass the licensure exam see strong career trajectory; the debt is modest enough that even before licensure, the math is comfortable. Solid mid-volume value play.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering graduates 114 students with first-year earnings of $67,050 climbing to $97,901 by year four. Median debt of $20,500 yields a 0.31 debt-to-earnings ratio (B+ grade). A clear pick for in-state students with engineering aptitude.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 60.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 63.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 57.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 63.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Nevada-Las Vegas’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 96.2% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 500-610 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 510-630 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-25 |
| Enrollment | 24,622 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 40.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $13,197 |
UNLV admits 96.2% of applicants - effectively open access, a posture appropriate for a metro public serving Nevada's workforce. SAT mid-ranges of 500-610 (math) and 510-630 (reading) and an ACT range of 18-25 indicate a broad, mid-academic student body. The 50.5% completion rate is the natural consequence of access-oriented admission: many enrolled students arrive underprepared for full-time university work. Students who arrive with strong high-school records and clear program targets can extract excellent value here.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas (this school) | 67 | $10,359 | $55,037 |
| University of Nevada-Reno | 75 | $15,927 | $60,614 |
| University of Kentucky | 69 | $18,851 | $59,025 |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 69 | $4,831 | $49,620 |
| University of Mississippi | 65 | $13,314 | $50,994 |
| Nevada State University | 58 | $14,068 | $53,166 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See University of Nevada-Las Vegas side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
UNLV fits Nevada residents seeking an affordable urban public with strong programs in engineering, nursing, computer science, hospitality, and accounting. With 24,622 students and a 40.1% Pell rate, the campus is large, working-class-leaning, and commuter-heavy. Strong outcomes are concentrated in pre-professional and STEM tracks; students entering hospitality, criminal justice, communications, or psychology see solid but unremarkable earnings.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $10,359 a year after aid ($41,436 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $55,037 a decade out, the cost takes about 9.1 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates. What to keep an eye on: its 50.5% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 63.9% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $19,450 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $39,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
University of Nevada-Las Vegas: Common Questions
Is University of Nevada-Las Vegas worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether University of Nevada-Las Vegas is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 67/100 on our ROI scale. At $10,359 a year after aid ($41,436 over four years) against $55,037 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 9.1 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does University of Nevada-Las Vegas cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $10,359 a year, or roughly $41,436 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do University of Nevada-Las Vegas graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $55,037 ten years after enrolling, roughly $13,237 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off University of Nevada-Las Vegas?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 9.1 years for University of Nevada-Las Vegas. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Nevada-Las Vegas graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $19,450, against average earnings of $39,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at University of Nevada-Las Vegas?
The six-year graduation rate is 50.5%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.