College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Aquinas College

Grand Rapids, MI 1,201 Undergrads 62.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$49,018
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,902
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,584
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,902
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$49,584
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate62.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients25.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS69.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
71.1%
SAT Avg
1,087
SAT Reading
25th: 49055575th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 50053075th: 590
ACT Composite
25th: 202375th: 25

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
+$434k
+$37k
-$50k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$366k
-$31k
-$118k
Full Cost$49k/yr
+$258k
-$139k
-$227k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-174%
Full Cost$49k/yr
Never
-129%
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-139%

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-97%
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
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,451
Earnings (5yr)
$51,870
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$60,996
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Business/Corporate Communications
BachCIP: 5205
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,041
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,457
Earnings (5yr)
$48,014
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Community Organization and Advocacy
BachCIP: 4402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,091
Lifetime Value Added
-$198k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,816
Lifetime Value Added
-$271k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$60,813
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,476
Lifetime Value Added
-$283k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$25,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$300k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,667
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,393
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,158
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Sustainability Studies
BachCIP: 3033
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,211
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k

Master's Degrees

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
MastCIP: 5299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,917
Lifetime Value Added
+$232k

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.