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Ashford University

San Diego, CA 20,152 Undergrads 19.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$37,594
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$31,266
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,883
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$31,266
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$56,883
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+61%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$35,404
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate19.1%
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 Age33.2
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 Recipients32.9%
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
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
+$510k
+$44k
+$26k
Median Cost$31k/yr
+$398k
-$69k
-$86k
Full Cost$38k/yr
+$375k
-$92k
-$109k

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
44
∞
Median Cost$31k/yr
Never
-77%
Full Cost$38k/yr
Never
-81%
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-53%

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-72%
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.

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,153
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,860
Natl Median: $76,613
Lifetime Value Added
+$267k
Median Debt
$24,750
Earnings (4yr)
$36,261
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$32,813
Earnings (4yr)
$61,522
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Median Debt
$31,375
Earnings (4yr)
$44,036
Natl Median: $40,222
Lifetime Value Added
-$194k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$26,258
Earnings (4yr)
$41,266
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k
Behavioral Sciences
BachCIP: 3017
Median Debt
$40,083
Earnings (4yr)
$45,157
Natl Median: $48,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Median Debt
$34,370
Earnings (4yr)
$71,782
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Median Debt
$38,365
Earnings (4yr)
$65,737
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Median Debt
$33,341
Earnings (4yr)
$61,909
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Natl Median: $58,894
Lifetime Value Added
-$341k
Median Debt
$31,380
Earnings (4yr)
$60,144
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$341k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$30,599
Earnings (4yr)
$47,107
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Median Debt
$30,742
Earnings (4yr)
$44,242
Natl Median: $47,700
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Median Debt
$28,109
Earnings (4yr)
$68,414
Natl Median: $55,308
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Median Debt
$29,781
Earnings (4yr)
$47,071
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Median Debt
$34,478
Earnings (4yr)
$43,140
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$201k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,128
Natl Median: $53,262
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Median Debt
$29,813
Earnings (4yr)
$64,426
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Gerontology
BachCIP: 3011
Median Debt
$28,750
Earnings (4yr)
$49,843
Natl Median: $54,051
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Median Debt
$33,541
Earnings (4yr)
$53,801
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Median Debt
$34,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,689
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$32,938
Earnings (4yr)
$49,773
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Median Debt
$27,470
Earnings (4yr)
$44,852
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Median Debt
$36,139
Earnings (4yr)
$65,002
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Median Debt
$26,497
Earnings (4yr)
$81,292
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$36,807
Earnings (4yr)
$44,589
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Median Debt
$22,685
Earnings (4yr)
$51,307
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$38,786
Natl Median: $36,949
Lifetime Value Added
-$239k
Median Debt
$30,073
Earnings (4yr)
$56,666
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Median Debt
$37,741
Earnings (4yr)
$77,907
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$37,625
Earnings (4yr)
$66,307
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Median Debt
$33,129
Earnings (4yr)
$48,922
Natl Median: $52,119
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,150
Natl Median: $50,150
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,435
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Median Debt
$27,172
Earnings (4yr)
$54,740
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$32,813
Earnings (4yr)
$48,325
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Median Debt
$33,349
Earnings (4yr)
$68,344
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Real Estate
BachCIP: 5215
Median Debt
$32,803
Earnings (4yr)
$58,733
Natl Median: $84,821
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $60,360
Lifetime Value Added
-$348k
Median Debt
$32,813
Earnings (4yr)
$48,970
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$28,693
Earnings (4yr)
$51,004
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$35,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,665
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,946
Natl Median: $57,887
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,748
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
Median Debt
$30,239
Earnings (5yr)
$25,954
Natl Median: $42,259
Lifetime Value Added
-$355k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$44,321
Earnings (4yr)
$83,019
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$77,414
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,836
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,645
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$268k
Median Debt
$37,528
Earnings (4yr)
$48,181
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$282k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,886
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,524
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,721
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,050
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,092
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,601
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$259k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,856
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$38,452
Earnings (4yr)
$51,086
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$254k
Median Debt
$38,554
Earnings (4yr)
$56,444
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$17,270
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$72,769
Natl Median: $110,734
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.