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Baylor University
Waco, TX 15,007 Undergrads 79.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$70,130
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$41,942
After Aid
Median Earnings
$65,793
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$41,942
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$65,793
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate79.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients13.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
51.0%
SAT Avg
1,313
SAT Reading
25th: 61062575th: 700
SAT Math
25th: 60063075th: 700
ACT Composite
25th: 272975th: 32
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
+$561k
+$165k
+$77k
Median Cost$42k/yr
+$411k
+$14k
-$74k
Full Cost$70k/yr
+$309k
-$87k
-$175k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$42k/yr
Never
-49%
Full Cost$70k/yr
Never
-69%
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-39%
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-75%
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
$20,495
Earnings (5yr)
$94,352
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,566
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (5yr)
$67,262
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,165
Earnings (5yr)
$63,803
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$77,023
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
BachCIP: 5299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$86,739
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$93,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,294
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$64,645
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$19,681
Earnings (5yr)
$62,574
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$107,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$247k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (5yr)
$62,970
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$24,130
Earnings (5yr)
$36,480
Lifetime Value Added
-$303k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$98,324
Lifetime Value Added
+$180k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,023
Lifetime Value Added
-$231k
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
BachCIP: 5207
Median Debt
$19,012
Earnings (5yr)
$78,646
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$98,333
Lifetime Value Added
+$180k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$220k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1905
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$63,540
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
BachCIP: 5218
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$154,528
Lifetime Value Added
+$596k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,360
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
BachCIP: 5111
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,917
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$24,625
Earnings (5yr)
$55,059
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,261
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$20,475
Earnings (5yr)
$80,478
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,021
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$22,409
Earnings (5yr)
$57,316
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$23,525
Earnings (5yr)
$61,982
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$104,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$224k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$21,525
Earnings (5yr)
$72,410
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$24,512
Earnings (5yr)
$59,531
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$26,096
Earnings (5yr)
$88,325
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,617
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (5yr)
$38,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$290k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,346
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,859
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,363
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,092
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,326
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$24,200
Earnings (5yr)
$44,092
Lifetime Value Added
-$239k
Real Estate
BachCIP: 5215
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$22,362
Earnings (5yr)
$81,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
$25,612
Earnings (5yr)
$46,611
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$17,450
Earnings (2yr)
$36,668
Lifetime Value Added
-$283k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$23,198
Earnings (5yr)
$55,750
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,937
Earnings (5yr)
$48,488
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations
BachCIP: 5219
Median Debt
$20,625
Earnings (5yr)
$77,422
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$50,814
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,406
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$22,056
Earnings (5yr)
$103,719
Lifetime Value Added
+$394k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$54,384
Earnings (5yr)
$141,489
Lifetime Value Added
+$716k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,341
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$42,969
Earnings (5yr)
$77,785
Lifetime Value Added
+$171k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,722
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$30,674
Earnings (2yr)
$52,941
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$245k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$125,637
Lifetime Value Added
+$581k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$37,754
Earnings (5yr)
$58,549
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$61,516
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,531
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Theological and Ministerial Studies
MastCIP: 3906
Median Debt
$40,158
Earnings (5yr)
$47,424
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Doctoral Degrees
Law
DocCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$172,756
Earnings (5yr)
$113,657
Lifetime Value Added
+$244k
Religion/Religious Studies
DocCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$61,516
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
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.