College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Augustana University

Sioux Falls, SD 1,818 Undergrads 70.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$53,169
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$24,723
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,217
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$24,723
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$59,217
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate70.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients17.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
59.3%
SAT Avg
1,187
SAT Reading
25th: 53056575th: 640
SAT Math
25th: 54559575th: 650
ACT Composite
25th: 212575th: 27

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
+$511k
+$114k
+$26k
Median Cost$25k/yr
+$422k
+$25k
-$63k
Full Cost$53k/yr
+$319k
-$77k
-$165k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
44
∞
Median Cost$25k/yr
Never
-70%
Full Cost$53k/yr
Never
-86%
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-67%

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-80%
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

American Sign Language
BachCIP: 1616
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$245k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,448
Earnings (5yr)
$57,981
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$68,610
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Business/Corporate Communications
BachCIP: 5205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$24,625
Earnings (5yr)
$47,658
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,190
Earnings (5yr)
$55,718
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$26,625
Earnings (5yr)
$52,014
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,200
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$76,246
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,569
Lifetime Value Added
-$258k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,009
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$25,550
Earnings (5yr)
$46,871
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,426
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k

Master's Degrees

Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$15,110
Earnings (5yr)
$63,222
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k

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.