College ROI

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Alabama State University

Montgomery, AL 3,477 Undergrads 31.4% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$23,655
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,775
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,859
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$9,775
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$47,859
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$40,585
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate31.4%
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 age (2015-17)20.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients72.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS44.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
97.5%
SAT Avg
976
SAT Reading
25th: 39945275th: 505
SAT Math
25th: 35040675th: 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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$429k
-$41k
-$57k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$394k
-$76k
-$92k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$344k
-$126k
-$142k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-262%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-167%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ 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

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-193%

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-96%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,070
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$46,370
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,500
Earnings (4yr)
$46,126
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,580
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$38,566
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,930
Earnings (4yr)
$45,173
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$36,312
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$29,142
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$246k
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 (5yr)
$45,028
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (4yr)
$53,416
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$265k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,500
Earnings (4yr)
$37,576
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
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
$24,750
Earnings (4yr)
$41,766
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,152
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,661
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,998
Earnings (4yr)
$51,014
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,629
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
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
$63,276
Earnings (4yr)
$73,076
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
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
-$229k
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,410
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k

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
$96,305
Earnings (4yr)
$92,091
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
+$681

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.