College ROI

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Alabama State University

Montgomery, AL 3,477 Undergrads 31.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$23,586
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$20,435
After Aid
Median Earnings
$45,998
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$20,435
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$45,998
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+33%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$34,502
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate31.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age20.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients71.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS44.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
97.5%
SAT Avg
976
SAT Reading
25th: 39948875th: 505
SAT Math
25th: 35045775th: 462
ACT Composite
25th: 151875th: 20

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$420k
-$47k
-$65k
Median Cost$20k/yr
+$346k
-$121k
-$138k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$335k
-$132k
-$149k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$20k/yr
Never
-188%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-176%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-209%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-100%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,070
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,370
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,187
Earnings (4yr)
$46,126
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,960
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$275k
Median Debt
$32,250
Earnings (4yr)
$38,566
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,173
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (4yr)
$29,142
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$284k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$310k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$32,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,416
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$302k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,388
Earnings (4yr)
$37,576
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$210k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,468
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,766
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Median Debt
$32,750
Earnings (4yr)
$40,152
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$33,188
Earnings (4yr)
$43,661
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$32,250
Earnings (4yr)
$51,014
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Median Debt
$50,215
Earnings (4yr)
$46,629
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$19,383
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $121,855
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,515
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$54,592
Earnings (4yr)
$73,076
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,696
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$247k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$50,483
Earnings (4yr)
$61,410
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,435
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$92,091
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), 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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.