College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Ashland University

Ashland, OH 2,250 Undergrads 64.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$40,519
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,994
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,928
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$21,994
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$52,928
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate64.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time83.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
80.6%
SAT Avg
1,119
SAT Reading
25th: 49558075th: 610
SAT Math
25th: 52557075th: 645
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
+$461k
+$64k
-$23k
Median Cost$22k/yr
+$382k
-$15k
-$103k
Full Cost$41k/yr
+$315k
-$81k
-$169k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$22k/yr
Never
-130%
Full Cost$41k/yr
Never
-116%
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-116%

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-89%
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

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,831
Earnings (5yr)
$51,741
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$69,931
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$57,458
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,422
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$26,734
Earnings (5yr)
$44,011
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (5yr)
$60,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences
BachCIP: 2609
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,778
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$26,048
Earnings (5yr)
$50,903
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,889
Earnings (5yr)
$47,168
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$315k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,523
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,674
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$26,699
Earnings (5yr)
$44,126
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$42,971
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$29,090
Earnings (5yr)
$99,553
Lifetime Value Added
+$395k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$43,620
Earnings (5yr)
$48,244
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$18,514
Earnings (5yr)
$58,877
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$22,323
Earnings (5yr)
$71,361
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,175
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$18,400
Earnings (5yr)
$58,704
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$18,512
Earnings (2yr)
$51,482
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Theological and Ministerial Studies
MastCIP: 3906
Median Debt
$53,598
Earnings (5yr)
$67,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k

Doctoral Degrees

Theological and Ministerial Studies
DocCIP: 3906
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$61,516
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k

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.