College ROI

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Albany State University

Albany, GA 5,956 Undergrads 33.3% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$22,301
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,511
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,810
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,511
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$55,810
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$44,975
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate33.3%
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)23.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients73.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time74.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS58.9%

Admissions Profile

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

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
+$495k
+$25k
+$9k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$443k
-$27k
-$44k
Full Cost$22k/yr
+$415k
-$55k
-$72k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
54
∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-83%
Full Cost$22k/yr
Never
-89%
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-60%

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-63%

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 →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,675
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (4yr)
$54,178
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Median Debt
$16,687
Earnings (4yr)
$60,236
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,080
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$32,145
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Median Debt
$17,674
Earnings (4yr)
$88,058
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$374k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,363
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,763
Earnings (4yr)
$49,440
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Median Debt
$27,284
Earnings (4yr)
$49,246
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$39,265
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,083
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,310
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$26,923
Earnings (4yr)
$41,282
Natl Median: $49,113
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,046
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$27,826
Earnings (4yr)
$50,366
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,456
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$305k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (4yr)
$41,153
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$87,799
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$215k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,331
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (2yr)
$29,322
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$251k
Median Debt
$29,981
Earnings (4yr)
$51,782
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$23,525
Earnings (4yr)
$68,632
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Median Debt
$31,433
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$324k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$38,680
Earnings (4yr)
$55,052
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$126,877
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$448k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$38,591
Earnings (4yr)
$56,072
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,917
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,102
Earnings (4yr)
$65,152
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$77,121
Natl Median: $78,026
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k

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.