College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Albion College

Albion, MI 1,347 Undergrads 67.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$68,794
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,882
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,799
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,882
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,799
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate67.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients46.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
83.2%
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
+$507k
+$111k
+$23k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$447k
+$50k
-$38k
Full Cost$69k/yr
+$260k
-$137k
-$224k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
45
Median Cost$17k/yr
Never
-62%
Full Cost$69k/yr
Never
-91%
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-76%

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-85%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$62,632
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,845
Earnings (5yr)
$52,772
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,648
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,781
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$26,849
Earnings (5yr)
$61,833
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,671
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,335
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$343k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$26,047
Earnings (2yr)
$35,420
Lifetime Value Added
-$204k

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.