College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Adrian College

Adrian, MI 1,635 Undergrads 53.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$54,950
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,504
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,504
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$21,504
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$55,504
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate53.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients32.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
68.4%
SAT Avg
1,030
SAT Reading
25th: 45553075th: 570
SAT Math
25th: 42551575th: 550
ACT Composite
25th: 182275th: 26

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$481k
+$85k
-$3k
Median Cost$22k/yr
+$404k
+$8k
-$80k
Full Cost$55k/yr
+$284k
-$113k
-$201k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$22k/yr
Never
-104%
Full Cost$55k/yr
Never
-101%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return-93%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-87%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,937
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,373
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,849
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (5yr)
$61,051
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,054
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,595
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$30,994
Earnings (5yr)
$48,472
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k

Master's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,829
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.