College ROI

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Belmont University

Nashville, TN 7,137 Undergrads 71.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$62,570
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$33,147
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,202
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$33,147
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$56,202
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$55,930
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate71.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS69.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
95.3%
SAT Avg
1,280
SAT Reading
25th: 60064075th: 690
SAT Math
25th: 56060575th: 660
ACT Composite
25th: 242775th: 30

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
+$505k
+$38k
+$21k
Median Cost$33k/yr
+$386k
-$81k
-$99k
Full Cost$63k/yr
+$280k
-$187k
-$205k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
46
∞
Median Cost$33k/yr
Never
-83%
Full Cost$63k/yr
Never
-91%
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-76%

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-84%
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
$93,688
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,893
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$44,222
Natl Median: $44,889
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,533
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,792
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,384
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Median Debt
$23,550
Earnings (4yr)
$62,666
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,276
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,128
Earnings (4yr)
$48,737
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,894
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,314
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,433
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$46,342
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,834
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$42,033
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$124,270
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$423k
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,226
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,330
Earnings (4yr)
$53,532
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,561
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (4yr)
$57,644
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (4yr)
$36,866
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$262k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,213
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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,172
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,040
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Publishing
BachCIP: 0910
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$79,069
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,748
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,606
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$230k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,999
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,566
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$91,357
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$116,083
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$360k
Median Debt
$53,160
Earnings (4yr)
$113,806
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
+$300k
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,358
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$51,250
Earnings (4yr)
$37,264
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$393k
Median Debt
$57,147
Earnings (4yr)
$111,634
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$281k
Median Debt
$99,150
Earnings (4yr)
$73,269
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$65,709
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Median Debt
$32,700
Earnings (4yr)
$55,537
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Law
DocCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$101,152
Earnings (4yr)
$100,168
Natl Median: $105,518
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Median Debt
$224,812
Earnings (4yr)
$131,705
Natl Median: $136,696
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$145,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,145
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k

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.