College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Albany State University

Albany, GA 5,829 Undergrads 32.4% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$20,574
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,251
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,674
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,251
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$40,674
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate32.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients66.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time74.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS59.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$361k
-$36k
-$124k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$310k
-$87k
-$175k
Full Cost$21k/yr
+$287k
-$110k
-$198k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-341%
Full Cost$21k/yr
Never
-267%
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-359%

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-129%
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

Associate's Degrees

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$17,976
Earnings (5yr)
$41,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$17,305
Earnings (5yr)
$70,644
Lifetime Value Added
+$203k

Bachelor's Degrees

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$28,408
Earnings (5yr)
$47,427
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$30,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,195
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,614
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,180
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$28,782
Earnings (5yr)
$33,826
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,593
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,430
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,770
Earnings (5yr)
$41,281
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$108,162
Lifetime Value Added
+$353k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$29,680
Earnings (5yr)
$44,754
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,075
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$35,875
Earnings (5yr)
$53,816
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$122,722
Lifetime Value Added
+$608k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$31,155
Earnings (5yr)
$50,195
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$35,569
Earnings (5yr)
$65,004
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k

Professional Degrees

Educational Administration and Supervision
ProfCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,277
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k

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.