College ROI

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Austin College

Sherman, TX 1,165 Undergrads 71.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$65,405
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$20,077
After Aid
Median Earnings
$62,086
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$20,077
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$62,086
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$62,064
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate71.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS70.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
47.6%
SAT Avg
1,212
SAT Reading
25th: 55062075th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 55061075th: 650
ACT Composite
25th: 232675th: 29

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
+$546k
+$75k
+$59k
Median Cost$20k/yr
+$473k
+$3k
-$13k
Full Cost$65k/yr
+$310k
-$160k
-$176k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
36
∞
Median Cost$20k/yr
Never
-18%
Full Cost$65k/yr
Never
-75%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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-49%

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-78%

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 →

Bachelor's Degrees

Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$49,875
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Median Debt
$25,476
Earnings (4yr)
$55,011
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,351
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$326k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,196
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,071
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,362
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,613
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$59,833
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$268k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,913
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
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
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,035
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$320k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,522
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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)
$55,168
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,570
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
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. 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.