Benefit-Cost Results
Since the 1990s, the Washington State legislature has directed WSIPP to identify “evidence-based” policies. The goal is to provide Washington policymakers and budget writers with a list of well-researched public policies that can, with a high degree of certainty, lead to better statewide outcomes coupled with a more efficient use of taxpayer dollars.
Research Approach. WSIPP has developed a three-step process to draw conclusions about what works and what does not to achieve particular outcomes of legislative interest. First, we systematically assess all high-quality studies from the United States and elsewhere to identify policy options that have been tested and found to achieve improvements in outcomes. Second, we determine how much it would cost Washington taxpayers to produce the results found in Step 1, and calculate how much it would be worth to people in Washington State to achieve the improved outcome. That is, in dollars and cents terms, we compare the benefits and costs of each policy option. It is important to note that the benefit-cost estimates pertain specifically to Washington State; results will vary from state to state. Third, we assess the risk in the estimates to determine the odds that a particular policy option will at least break even. ...show more
WSIPP acknowledges the MacArthur Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts that have helped fund some of the research reported on this page.
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Overview of WSIPP's Benefit-Cost Model
Estimating Program Effects Using Effect Sizes
For details on our benefit-cost methods, contact Heather Grob or download our Technical Documentation.
Latest Results. The tables on this webpage present our current findings for a variety of public policy topics. Items on these tables are updated periodically as new information becomes available. Interested readers can find more information by clicking each entry in the tables.
Use the search fields below to find specific benefit-cost results that match certain criteria. If you want to find other information on our website that is not benefit-cost results, you can use the search field in the navigation bar at the top, or click here to search the entire website.
Benefit-cost methods last updated December 2023
Current estimates replace old estimates. Numbers will change over time as a result of model inputs and monetization methods.
Public Health & Prevention
| School-based | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Program name (click on the program name for more detail) |
Date of last literature review
|
Total benefits
|
Taxpayer benefits
|
Non-taxpayer benefits
|
Costs
|
Benefits minus costs (net present value)
|
Benefit to cost ratio
|
Chance benefits will exceed costs
|
| Sep. 2018 | $36,896 | $9,351 | $27,545 | ($1,189) | $35,707 | $31.03 | 94% | |
| Nov. 2015 | $21,264 | $4,685 | $16,579 | ($553) | $20,712 | $38.48 | 66% | |
| May. 2018 | $23,129 | $5,333 | $17,796 | ($3,885) | $19,244 | $5.95 | 71% | |
| Apr. 2018 | $14,298 | $3,245 | $11,053 | ($1,232) | $13,066 | $11.61 | 61% | |
| Mar. 2018 | $11,571 | $3,223 | $8,348 | ($180) | $11,392 | $64.42 | 77% | |
| Jan. 2018 | $11,004 | $3,421 | $7,583 | ($729) | $10,274 | $15.09 | 74% | |
| Jun. 2015 | $10,361 | $2,243 | $8,118 | ($424) | $9,937 | $24.44 | 62% | |
| Aug. 2017 | $10,170 | $3,178 | $6,992 | ($539) | $9,631 | $18.87 | 81% | |
| Mar. 2019 | $10,190 | $2,914 | $7,276 | ($4,429) | $5,760 | $2.30 | 57% | |
| Aug. 2018 | $5,750 | $2,098 | $3,652 | ($184) | $5,566 | $31.22 | 91% | |
| Sep. 2018 | $4,588 | $1,107 | $3,481 | ($296) | $4,293 | $15.52 | 57% | |
| Dec. 2014 | $3,747 | $879 | $2,869 | ($71) | $3,677 | $53.04 | 88% | |
| Dec. 2014 | $3,031 | $910 | $2,120 | ($123) | $2,908 | $24.67 | 96% | |
| Sep. 2018 | $3,720 | $1,000 | $2,720 | ($1,751) | $1,969 | $2.12 | 58% | |
| Jun. 2014 | $1,881 | $563 | $1,318 | ($118) | $1,763 | $15.97 | 63% | |
| Jun. 2016 | $1,688 | $498 | $1,190 | ($5) | $1,683 | $366.20 | 58% | |
| Jan. 2019 | $1,354 | $310 | $1,044 | ($12) | $1,343 | $117.36 | 100% | |
| Jan. 2019 | $1,331 | $412 | $919 | ($53) | $1,278 | $24.98 | 79% | |
| Jun. 2020 | $1,583 | $620 | $962 | ($345) | $1,238 | $4.59 | 90% | |
| Dec. 2014 | $1,093 | $345 | $748 | ($66) | $1,027 | $16.59 | 61% | |
| Jan. 2019 | $903 | $263 | $640 | ($12) | $891 | $72.41 | 70% | |
| Jun. 2014 | $774 | $235 | $539 | ($58) | $716 | $13.37 | 62% | |
| Dec. 2014 | $634 | $196 | $438 | ($63) | $571 | $10.06 | 96% | |
| Dec. 2014 | $535 | $169 | $366 | ($45) | $490 | $11.86 | 57% | |
| Jun. 2014 | $469 | $167 | $303 | ($78) | $392 | $6.04 | 57% | |
| Jan. 2019 | $350 | $106 | $243 | ($53) | $296 | $6.56 | 52% | |
| Feb. 2019 | $1,080 | $534 | $546 | ($829) | $251 | $1.30 | 57% | |
| Aug. 2019 | $81 | $26 | $55 | ($12) | $68 | $6.47 | 51% | |
| Jan. 2019 | $53 | $18 | $35 | ($29) | $24 | $1.82 | 49% | |
| Nov. 2015 | ($14) | $0 | ($15) | ($30) | ($44) | ($0.48) | 50% | |
| Dec. 2014 | ($153) | ($42) | ($111) | ($27) | ($180) | ($5.63) | 36% | |
| Nov. 2015 | ($66) | $1 | ($67) | ($138) | ($204) | ($0.48) | 47% | |
| Jan. 2019 | ($322) | ($80) | ($242) | ($18) | ($340) | ($18.06) | 45% | |
| Nov. 2015 | ($145) | $1 | ($145) | ($295) | ($440) | ($0.49) | 45% | |
| Aug. 2015 | ($868) | ($270) | ($598) | ($64) | ($933) | ($13.46) | 45% | |
| May. 2020 | ($859) | ($247) | ($611) | ($188) | ($1,047) | ($4.57) | 39% | |
| May. 2018 | ($76) | $278 | ($354) | ($1,719) | ($1,794) | ($0.04) | 5% | |
| May. 2018 | ($455) | $278 | ($733) | ($2,479) | ($2,934) | ($0.18) | 1% | |
| May. 2018 | ($10,442) | ($2,080) | ($8,362) | ($1,759) | ($12,201) | ($5.94) | 17% | |
| May. 2018 | ($10,932) | ($2,080) | ($8,852) | ($2,739) | ($13,671) | ($3.99) | 14% | |
| Jan. 2020 | ($13,152) | ($2,746) | ($10,406) | ($1,052) | ($14,204) | ($12.50) | 4% | |
| Home- or Family-based | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Program name (click on the program name for more detail) |
Date of last literature review
|
Total benefits
|
Taxpayer benefits
|
Non-taxpayer benefits
|
Costs
|
Benefits minus costs (net present value)
|
Benefit to cost ratio
|
Chance benefits will exceed costs
|
| Feb. 2019 | $11,652 | $3,632 | $8,020 | ($51) | $11,601 | $227.16 | 71% | |
| May. 2015 | $7,714 | $2,239 | $5,475 | ($774) | $6,940 | $9.96 | 60% | |
| Mar. 2018 | $20,495 | $5,061 | $15,434 | ($13,925) | $6,570 | $1.47 | 65% | |
| Feb. 2019 | $7,317 | $2,515 | $4,802 | ($1,756) | $5,562 | $4.17 | 69% | |
| Jul. 2017 | $10,819 | $7,062 | $3,757 | ($5,982) | $4,837 | $1.81 | 62% | |
| Aug. 2018 | $3,836 | $1,181 | $2,655 | ($653) | $3,183 | $5.87 | 60% | |
| Aug. 2017 | $7,213 | $2,319 | $4,894 | ($4,755) | $2,458 | $1.52 | 52% | |
| Dec. 2014 | $2,411 | $737 | $1,674 | ($84) | $2,327 | $28.83 | 64% | |
| Jun. 2016 | $2,124 | $669 | $1,455 | ($231) | $1,893 | $9.19 | 73% | |
| Apr. 2018 | $11,808 | $3,307 | $8,501 | ($10,003) | $1,805 | $1.18 | 51% | |
| Jun. 2016 | $2,279 | $760 | $1,519 | ($629) | $1,650 | $3.62 | 59% | |
| Jun. 2018 | $2,108 | $831 | $1,278 | ($890) | $1,218 | $2.37 | 57% | |
| Jun. 2016 | $1,944 | $757 | $1,187 | ($850) | $1,095 | $2.29 | 56% | |
| Jun. 2017 | $885 | $366 | $519 | ($263) | $622 | $3.37 | 57% | |
| Jul. 2017 | $10,954 | $5,058 | $5,896 | ($10,426) | $528 | $1.05 | 49% | |
| Aug. 2018 | $1,052 | $369 | $683 | ($776) | $277 | $1.36 | 51% | |
| Jul. 2018 | ($382) | $3 | ($385) | ($853) | ($1,235) | ($0.45) | 49% | |
| Aug. 2017 | $1,454 | $1,304 | $150 | ($5,265) | ($3,811) | $0.28 | 34% | |
| Jun. 2017 | ($1,662) | ($56) | ($1,605) | ($4,154) | ($5,816) | ($0.40) | 5% | |
| Apr. 2018 | ($10,531) | ($563) | ($9,968) | ($17,602) | ($28,133) | ($0.60) | 16% | |
| Aug. 2017 | $7,038 | $6,259 | $779 | ($46,645) | ($39,607) | $0.15 | 23% | |
| Community-based | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Program name (click on the program name for more detail) |
Date of last literature review
|
Total benefits
|
Taxpayer benefits
|
Non-taxpayer benefits
|
Costs
|
Benefits minus costs (net present value)
|
Benefit to cost ratio
|
Chance benefits will exceed costs
|
| Dec. 2014 | $48,077 | $9,233 | $38,844 | ($48) | $48,029 | $1,003.36 | 100% | |
| Dec. 2014 | $28,507 | $5,224 | $23,283 | ($62) | $28,445 | $458.38 | 100% | |
| May. 2018 | $11,328 | $2,701 | $8,627 | ($2,805) | $8,523 | $4.04 | 65% | |
| May. 2018 | $10,428 | $2,701 | $7,726 | ($4,607) | $5,821 | $2.26 | 59% | |
| Jan. 2019 | $3,967 | $1,223 | $2,744 | ($698) | $3,269 | $5.69 | 87% | |
| Jun. 2019 | $3,067 | $954 | $2,113 | ($74) | $2,993 | $41.37 | 72% | |
| Aug. 2019 | $311 | $106 | $206 | ($28) | $283 | $10.97 | 68% | |
| Mar. 2019 | $367 | $123 | $244 | ($114) | $253 | $3.21 | 56% | |
| Mar. 2018 | $1,280 | $3,138 | ($1,858) | ($1,073) | $207 | $1.19 | 50% | |
| Feb. 2020 | $352 | $167 | $185 | ($402) | ($49) | $0.88 | 44% | |
| Jan. 2018 | ($244) | $65 | ($309) | ($829) | ($1,073) | ($0.29) | 22% | |
| May. 2018 | ($712) | $145 | ($858) | ($1,976) | ($2,688) | ($0.36) | 43% | |
| Jun. 2020 | ($863) | $3 | ($866) | ($1,827) | ($2,690) | ($0.47) | 0% | |
| May. 2018 | ($2,319) | $145 | ($2,464) | ($5,189) | ($7,508) | ($0.45) | 30% | |
| Apr. 2012 | $3,256 | $2,399 | $856 | ($17,639) | ($14,383) | $0.18 | 33% | |
| Jan. 2019 | $19,332 | $11,342 | $7,990 | ($36,693) | ($17,361) | $0.53 | 32% | |
| Feb. 2020 | ($4,917) | $1,003 | ($5,920) | ($14,768) | ($19,686) | ($0.33) | 9% | |
| Mar. 2018 | ($31,945) | $789 | ($32,734) | ($72,989) | ($104,934) | ($0.44) | 0% | |
| Population-level policies | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Program name (click on the program name for more detail) |
Date of last literature review
|
Total benefits
|
Taxpayer benefits
|
Non-taxpayer benefits
|
Costs
|
Benefits minus costs (net present value)
|
Benefit to cost ratio
|
Chance benefits will exceed costs
|
| Dec. 2014 | $33,965 | $2,329 | $31,635 | ($255) | $33,709 | $133.07 | 95% | |
| Dec. 2014 | $14,737 | $2,196 | $12,541 | ($155) | $14,582 | $95.04 | 100% | |
| Jun. 2020 | $3,023 | $983 | $2,040 | ($342) | $2,681 | $8.84 | 71% | |
| Dec. 2014 | $2,506 | $712 | $1,794 | ($42) | $2,464 | $59.70 | 87% | |
| Dec. 2014 | $1,988 | $458 | $1,531 | ($33) | $1,955 | $60.29 | 100% | |
| Jun. 2016 | $1,079 | $355 | $724 | ($185) | $894 | $5.85 | 84% | |
| Jun. 2016 | ($310) | ($71) | ($239) | ($125) | ($435) | ($2.48) | 29% | |
Other Public Health & Prevention topics reviewed; benefit-cost results not yet available:
|
Program name (click on the program name for more detail) |
Date of last literature review | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
10% increase in cigarette tax (effect on adults)
| Dec. 2014 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
10% increase in cigarette tax (effect on youth)
| Dec. 2014 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Adolescent Sibling Pregnancy Prevention
| Feb. 2019 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Athletes Training and Learning to Avoid Steroids (ATLAS)
| Jun. 2016 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Behavioral Monitoring and Reinforcement Program (BMRP)
| Feb. 2020 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Body Project
| Jun. 2016 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Case management for caregivers of older adults with dementia
| Feb. 2018 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Case management with monetary assistance for caregivers of older adults with dementia
| Feb. 2018 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Compliance checks for alcohol
| Jun. 2016 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Compliance checks for tobacco
| Jun. 2016 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Curriculum-Based Support Group (CBSG)
| Apr. 2018 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Family Connects
| Nov. 2017 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Other home visiting programs for adolescent mothers
| Jun. 2018 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
ParentChild+ (formerly Parent-Child Home Program)
| Aug. 2017 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Postponing Sexual Involvement (c)
| Apr. 2012 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Prime Time
| Jun. 2020 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Project Learn
| Feb. 2020 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Project SHOUT (Students Helping Others Understand Tobacco)
| Jan. 2019 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Protecting You/Protecting Me
| Jun. 2016 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Raising Healthy Children
| Jun. 2016 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Reconnecting Youth
| Mar. 2020 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Resources, Education, and Care in the Home (REACH-Futures)
| Jun. 2018 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
School-based programs to create a healthy food environment
| Nov. 2015 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
School-based service learning
| Apr. 2012 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
School-based sexual education
| Apr. 2012 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Soda taxes: a 1% higher tax on soda than on other food items
| Nov. 2015 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
STARS (Start Taking Alcohol Risks Seriously) for Families
| Jun. 2016 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Teen Outreach Program (TOP)
| Feb. 2020 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
|
Workplace-wide interventions to prevent obesity
| Nov. 2015 | Click for meta-analytic results | |
| Click to expand | |||
