Home › Compare › Liberal Arts and Sciences › DePaul University vs Thomas Edison State University

Liberal Arts and Sciences: DePaul University vs Thomas Edison State University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
DePaul University
Chicago, IL
Thomas Edison State University
Trenton, NJ
In-State
3.7x
$177,840 tuition
19.7x
$26,552 tuition
Out-of-State
3.7x
$177,840 tuition
15.2x
$34,392 tuition
$660,716 10-yr earnings · Private nonprofit
$522,272 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

DePaul University Thomas Edison State University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 3.7x 19.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.7x 15.2x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $177,840 $26,552
Year 1 Earnings $84,066 $49,779
10-Year Earnings $661K $522K
Median Debt $37,499 $11,662
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 5.4 months 2.8 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 39/100 51/100

Both programs have low AI automation risk (0% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Liberal Arts and Sciences graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Liberal Arts and Sciences graduates.

DePaul University Thomas Edison State University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $177,840 $26,552
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $177,840 $34,392
10-Year Projected Earnings $661K $522K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 3.7x 19.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.7x 15.2x
5-Year Salary Growth +2% +10%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Liberal Arts and Sciences (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

DePaul University Thomas Edison State University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $661K $661K $636K $522K $522K $498K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 3.7x 3.7x 3.6x 19.7x 19.7x 18.7x
DegreeWorth Score 38 39 41 51 51 53

For the full AI analysis of Liberal Arts and Sciences career paths, see the DePaul University or Thomas Edison State University program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Liberal Arts and Sciences graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$151,288
Thomas Edison State University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$34,287/yr
DePaul University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
3.7x / 19.7x
Out-of-state: 3.7x / 15.2x

Career Paths

Liberal Arts and Sciences graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Postsecondary teachers, all other $78,490 13,500 +1.8% 0%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

Liberal Arts and Sciences at DePaul University → Liberal Arts and Sciences at Thomas Edison State University →

More Liberal Arts and Sciences Comparisons

American Public University System vs DePaul University American Public University System vs Thomas Edison State University Arizona State University Campus Immersion vs DePaul University Arizona State University Campus Immersion vs Thomas Edison State University Bentley University vs DePaul University Bentley University vs Thomas Edison State University

Liberal Arts and Sciences Overview

View all schools offering Liberal Arts and Sciences →

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Liberal Arts and Sciences: DePaul University or Thomas Edison State University?
DePaul University scores 39/100 while Thomas Edison State University scores 51/100. Thomas Edison State University has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Liberal Arts and Sciences?
DePaul University has an in-state earnings multiple of 3.7x vs Thomas Edison State University's 19.7x. That means Thomas Edison State University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $151,288 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do DePaul University and Thomas Edison State University compare on Liberal Arts and Sciences earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $84,066 at DePaul University vs $49,779 at Thomas Edison State University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $660,716 vs $522,272 — a difference of $138,444.
How much does Liberal Arts and Sciences cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $177,840 at DePaul University and $26,552 at Thomas Edison State University. Median debt at graduation is $37,499 vs $11,662. Both programs lead to the same Liberal Arts and Sciences career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.