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Alabama A & M University
Normal, AL 5,726 Undergrads 30.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$23,751
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,559
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,628
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$14,559
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$40,628
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate30.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients65.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS46.1%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
66.2%
SAT Avg
947
SAT Reading
25th: 42047575th: 540
SAT Math
25th: 39046075th: 520
ACT Composite
25th: 141875th: 19
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
+$360k
-$36k
-$124k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$308k
-$88k
-$176k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$275k
-$121k
-$209k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-337%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-245%
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-325%
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-126%
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
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$27,875
Earnings (2yr)
$35,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1002
Median Debt
$33,500
Earnings (2yr)
$20,102
Lifetime Value Added
-$335k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,011
Earnings (5yr)
$40,721
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,650
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$30,100
Earnings (5yr)
$85,218
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$30,500
Earnings (5yr)
$45,437
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$32,500
Earnings (5yr)
$90,409
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,731
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,627
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1508
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,971
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$27,100
Earnings (5yr)
$82,929
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$41,798
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,819
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Master's Degrees
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$44,791
Earnings (5yr)
$53,655
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$43,588
Earnings (5yr)
$54,601
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
MastCIP: 0403
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$62,047
Earnings (5yr)
$48,047
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,596
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,231
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,323
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$48,932
Earnings (5yr)
$69,062
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
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.