College ROI

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Ashland University

Ashland, OH 2,199 Undergrads 56.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$48,853
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,678
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,807
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,678
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$55,807
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$56,321
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate56.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age29.6
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 Recipients40.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time83.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS63.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
76.4%
SAT Avg
1,120
SAT Reading
25th: 50558075th: 610
SAT Math
25th: 53057075th: 598
ACT Composite
25th: 202375th: 25

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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$495k
+$25k
+$9k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$410k
-$60k
-$77k
Full Cost$49k/yr
+$319k
-$151k
-$167k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
54
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-90%
Full Cost$49k/yr
Never
-95%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ 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

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-82%

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-83%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,243
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$29,690
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$201k
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Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$80,065
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,624
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
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Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$68,823
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
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Median Debt
$24,374
Earnings (4yr)
$59,115
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,387
Earnings (4yr)
$53,386
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,359
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,929
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,543
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,991
Earnings (4yr)
$68,708
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,883
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,342
Earnings (4yr)
$61,199
Natl Median: $62,172
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,165
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,671
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,296
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,929
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
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Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,222
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,094
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
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Median Debt
$23,886
Earnings (4yr)
$43,052
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,744
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
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Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$42,544
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
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Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$45,115
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,028
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,473
Earnings (4yr)
$90,642
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,529
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$286k
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Median Debt
$19,714
Earnings (4yr)
$63,212
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
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Median Debt
$24,200
Earnings (4yr)
$65,364
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,522
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,347
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,231
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,883
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$272k
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Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$61,516
Natl Median: $71,982
Lifetime Value Added
-$260k
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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.