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Aurora University
Aurora, IL 4,021 Undergrads 66.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$39,232
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,992
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,709
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$18,992
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,709
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate66.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients44.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
85.1%
SAT Avg
1,072
SAT Reading
25th: 47052575th: 583
SAT Math
25th: 46052075th: 550
ACT Composite
25th: 202275th: 26
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
+$507k
+$110k
+$22k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$438k
+$42k
-$46k
Full Cost$39k/yr
+$366k
-$31k
-$119k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
45
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-67%
Full Cost$39k/yr
Never
-84%
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-60%
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-74%
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
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$79,539
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,133
Earnings (5yr)
$60,920
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,595
Earnings (5yr)
$62,691
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,737
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$19,653
Earnings (5yr)
$46,836
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$19,597
Earnings (5yr)
$59,192
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,236
Lifetime Value Added
-$276k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (2yr)
$48,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
BachCIP: 5111
Median Debt
$19,050
Earnings (5yr)
$67,458
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,048
Lifetime Value Added
-$287k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$64,060
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,585
Earnings (5yr)
$50,859
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$22,654
Earnings (5yr)
$80,026
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,579
Earnings (5yr)
$51,486
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$21,406
Earnings (5yr)
$48,179
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$263k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$23,199
Earnings (5yr)
$72,816
Lifetime Value Added
+$171k
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education
MastCIP: 1302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,882
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$30,785
Earnings (5yr)
$88,780
Lifetime Value Added
+$308k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$27,588
Earnings (5yr)
$76,132
Lifetime Value Added
+$199k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,439
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$23,641
Earnings (5yr)
$80,383
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
MastCIP: 1305
Median Debt
$20,505
Earnings (5yr)
$63,501
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$30,695
Earnings (5yr)
$59,292
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
Doctoral Degrees
Curriculum and Instruction
DocCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$86,375
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$50,408
Earnings (2yr)
$111,435
Lifetime Value Added
+$360k
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.