College ROI

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Albany State University

Albany, GA 5,956 Undergrads 33.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$19,333
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,898
After Aid
Median Earnings
$54,096
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,898
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$54,096
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
$40,674
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate33.7%
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 Age23.1
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients69.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time74.4%
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
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
+$488k
+$21k
+$3k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$445k
-$22k
-$40k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$418k
-$49k
-$66k

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
59
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-92%
Full Cost$19k/yr
Never
-95%
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-66%

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-60%
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.

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
+$67k
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (4yr)
$60,236
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Median Debt
$12,661
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
$17,976
Earnings (4yr)
$32,145
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Median Debt
$17,305
Earnings (4yr)
$88,058
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$376k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,363
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,264
Natl Median: $68,559
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,909
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$28,408
Earnings (4yr)
$49,440
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Median Debt
$30,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,246
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,265
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,310
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,061
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$28,782
Earnings (4yr)
$41,282
Natl Median: $49,113
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
BachCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,436
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,716
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)
$43,777
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,046
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$830
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,366
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,430
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,770
Earnings (4yr)
$41,153
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$87,799
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$223k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$29,680
Earnings (4yr)
$49,331
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,916
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,782
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,660
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$35,875
Earnings (4yr)
$68,632
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,656
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$260k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,052
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$126,877
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$452k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$31,155
Earnings (4yr)
$56,072
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
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
$35,569
Earnings (4yr)
$65,152
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$77,121
Natl Median: $78,026
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k

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.