College ROI

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Baldwin Wallace University

Berea, OH 2,842 Undergrads 64.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$55,606
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$27,603
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,094
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$27,603
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$59,094
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$54,122
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate64.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients29.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
75.7%
SAT Avg
1,194
SAT Reading
25th: 55057575th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 51057075th: 640
ACT Composite
25th: 222475th: 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
+$528k
+$62k
+$44k
Median Cost$28k/yr
+$429k
-$38k
-$55k
Full Cost$56k/yr
+$328k
-$139k
-$156k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
39
∞
Median Cost$28k/yr
Never
-56%
Full Cost$56k/yr
Never
-78%
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-52%

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-77%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$86,955
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$26,682
Earnings (4yr)
$55,117
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,273
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$67,934
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,252
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,523
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,698
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,546
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,587
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,020
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$36,251
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$248k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,016
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
BachCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,384
Natl Median: $56,185
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,535
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,581
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$277k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,080
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Median Debt
$25,972
Earnings (5yr)
$58,715
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$39,968
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,779
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,353
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,744
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,612
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$37,682
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
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
$26,722
Earnings (4yr)
$53,654
Natl Median: $62,172
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,410
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,970
Earnings (4yr)
$45,686
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,125
Earnings (4yr)
$61,966
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (4yr)
$75,687
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,667
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$359k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$27,937
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,415
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Median Debt
$26,250
Earnings (4yr)
$45,784
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,927
Natl Median: $47,629
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$91,097
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Median Debt
$97,220
Earnings (4yr)
$119,972
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$364k
Median Debt
$31,500
Earnings (4yr)
$106,526
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$247k
Median Debt
$101,403
Earnings (4yr)
$65,439
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$38,997
Earnings (4yr)
$55,820
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
MastCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,563
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$88,269
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,121
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$117,150
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$339k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,151
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,317
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,444
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Other Programs

Education, General
DegCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,645
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.