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Ashford University
San Diego, CA 23,734 Undergrads 19.7% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$30,866
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,321
After Aid
Median Earnings
$35,404
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$25,321
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$35,404
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate19.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time100.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS55.2%
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
+$317k
-$80k
-$167k
Median Cost$25k/yr
+$226k
-$171k
-$259k
Full Cost$31k/yr
+$206k
-$191k
-$279k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$25k/yr
Never
-284%
Full Cost$31k/yr
Never
-251%
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-338%
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-133%
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
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,153
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Military Applied Sciences
AssocCIP: 2903
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$24,750
Earnings (5yr)
$28,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$32,813
Earnings (5yr)
$53,394
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems
BachCIP: 5133
Median Debt
$31,375
Earnings (5yr)
$37,483
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$26,258
Earnings (5yr)
$39,475
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Behavioral Sciences
BachCIP: 3017
Median Debt
$40,083
Earnings (5yr)
$41,412
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$34,370
Earnings (5yr)
$64,522
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
$38,365
Earnings (5yr)
$86,666
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$33,341
Earnings (5yr)
$48,261
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Computer Software and Media Applications
BachCIP: 1108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Lifetime Value Added
-$320k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$31,380
Earnings (5yr)
$53,838
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Lifetime Value Added
-$320k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$30,599
Earnings (5yr)
$42,240
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
BachCIP: 1306
Median Debt
$30,742
Earnings (5yr)
$39,866
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
BachCIP: 1305
Median Debt
$28,109
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$29,781
Earnings (5yr)
$39,236
Lifetime Value Added
-$220k
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
BachCIP: 5207
Median Debt
$34,478
Earnings (5yr)
$38,836
Lifetime Value Added
-$224k
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies
BachCIP: 1904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,128
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$29,813
Earnings (5yr)
$63,997
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Gerontology
BachCIP: 3011
Median Debt
$28,750
Earnings (5yr)
$35,585
Lifetime Value Added
-$251k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$33,541
Earnings (5yr)
$46,273
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$35,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,277
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$34,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,821
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$32,938
Earnings (5yr)
$45,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$27,470
Earnings (5yr)
$37,621
Lifetime Value Added
-$234k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$36,139
Earnings (5yr)
$57,539
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
$26,497
Earnings (5yr)
$64,225
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$36,807
Earnings (5yr)
$43,094
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$22,685
Earnings (5yr)
$51,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Library Science and Administration
BachCIP: 2501
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$35,850
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
$30,073
Earnings (5yr)
$41,222
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$37,741
Earnings (5yr)
$62,249
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$37,625
Earnings (5yr)
$50,570
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$33,129
Earnings (5yr)
$39,050
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Military Applied Sciences
BachCIP: 2903
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,150
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,089
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$27,172
Earnings (5yr)
$54,872
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$32,813
Earnings (5yr)
$41,585
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Public Administration
BachCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$33,349
Earnings (5yr)
$64,804
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Real Estate
BachCIP: 5215
Median Debt
$32,803
Earnings (5yr)
$51,763
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education
BachCIP: 1309
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$327k
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
$32,813
Earnings (5yr)
$42,146
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$28,693
Earnings (5yr)
$43,545
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Sustainability Studies
BachCIP: 3033
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,946
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (5yr)
$36,290
Lifetime Value Added
-$245k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$247k
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language
BachCIP: 1314
Median Debt
$30,239
Earnings (5yr)
$25,954
Lifetime Value Added
-$334k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,222
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,330
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,838
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$57,471
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$38,554
Earnings (5yr)
$49,608
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
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.