Augustana University

Sioux Falls, SD 1,965 Undergrads 72.9% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$55,159

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$23,894

After Aid

Median Earnings

$65,005

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,894

Peer Midpoint: $20,081

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation

$65,005

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment

$59,217

Peer Midpoint: $53,763

Graduation Rate72.9%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age20.2

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients17.5%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time98.6%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS83.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

67.8%

SAT Avg

1,195

SAT Reading

25th: 57056575th: 680

SAT Math

25th: 58059575th: 690

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

+$575k

+$108k

+$91k

Median Cost$24k/yr

+$489k

+$22k

+$5k

Full Cost$55k/yr

+$377k

-$90k

-$108k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$24k/yr

Full Cost$55k/yr

Never

-54%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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-9%

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-65%

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

Accounting and Related Services

BachCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$68,523

Natl Median: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

+$32k

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

BachCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $70,786

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

American Sign Language

BachCIP: 1616

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$33,993

Natl Median: $45,044

Lifetime Value Added

-$242k

Anthropology

BachCIP: 4502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $46,676

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Area Studies

BachCIP: 0501

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,625

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

BachCIP: 2602

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,466

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

$23,448

Earnings (4yr)

$67,630

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

+$25k

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$24,250

Earnings (4yr)

$68,463

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

+$32k

Business/Corporate Communications

BachCIP: 5205

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$35,060

Natl Median: $65,784

Lifetime Value Added

-$232k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1612

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,429

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions

BachCIP: 5110

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $75,975

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication Disorders Sciences and Services

BachCIP: 5102

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,928

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer and Information Sciences, General

BachCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $92,374

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Science

BachCIP: 1107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $107,009

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

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

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

$24,625

Earnings (5yr)

$47,658

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

-$144k

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1605

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,459

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$36,848

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

-$216k

International/Globalization Studies

BachCIP: 3020

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $59,972

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Journalism

BachCIP: 0904

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,278

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Philosophy and Religious Studies, General

BachCIP: 3800

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $47,213

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Philosophy

BachCIP: 3801

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,455

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physics

BachCIP: 4008

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $76,786

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

$26,625

Earnings (5yr)

$52,014

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

-$108k

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$58,256

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$49k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

BachCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (4yr)

$77,844

Natl Median: $88,910

Lifetime Value Added

+$103k

Religion/Religious Studies

BachCIP: 3802

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,390

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$54,693

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

-$87k

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$32,569

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

-$255k

Special Education and Teaching

BachCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$39,009

Natl Median: $50,499

Lifetime Value Added

-$197k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

BachCIP: 3105

Median Debt

$24,190

Earnings (4yr)

$58,906

Natl Median: $54,562

Lifetime Value Added

-$43k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$25,550

Earnings (4yr)

$46,600

Natl Median: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

-$145k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$43,426

Natl Median: $51,389

Lifetime Value Added

-$157k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

MastCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $95,833

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Education, General

MastCIP: 1301

Median Debt

$15,110

Earnings (4yr)

$64,083

Natl Median: $65,824

Lifetime Value Added

-$119k

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

MastCIP: 5115

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $59,571

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

MastCIP: 3105

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,033

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. 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.