College ROI

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Bellarmine University

Louisville, KY 2,286 Undergrads 66.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$60,247
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,587
After Aid
Median Earnings
$62,069
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,587
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$62,069
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate66.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients25.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
93.6%
SAT Avg
1,208
SAT Reading
25th: 53559575th: 613
SAT Math
25th: 54060075th: 630
ACT Composite
25th: 222475th: 28

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
+$533k
+$137k
+$49k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$448k
+$52k
-$36k
Full Cost$60k/yr
+$316k
-$80k
-$168k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-43%
Full Cost$60k/yr
Never
-78%
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-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-78%
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 (2yr)
$55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,798
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,519
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$25,853
Earnings (5yr)
$51,043
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,990
Earnings (5yr)
$39,311
Lifetime Value Added
-$213k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,331
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,841
Earnings (5yr)
$47,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,579
Lifetime Value Added
-$336k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$25,226
Earnings (5yr)
$50,223
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,990
Earnings (5yr)
$50,098
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$76,649
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,601
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,799
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k

Master's Degrees

Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$103,952
Lifetime Value Added
+$430k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$105,636
Lifetime Value Added
+$444k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$25,137
Earnings (5yr)
$52,400
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k

Graduate Certificates

Educational Administration and Supervision
Gr-CertCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,650
Lifetime Value Added
+$280k

Doctoral Degrees

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$136,158
Earnings (5yr)
$75,550
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k

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.