College ROI

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Bethel University

Saint Paul, MN 1,871 Undergrads 69.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$60,066
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$30,995
After Aid
Median Earnings
$70,632
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$30,995
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$70,632
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$69,827
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate69.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age23.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients26.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time87.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
87.8%
SAT Avg
1,249
SAT Reading
25th: 61062775th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 58060775th: 650
ACT Composite
25th: 222475th: 28

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
+$612k
+$142k
+$126k
Median Cost$31k/yr
+$501k
+$30k
+$14k
Full Cost$60k/yr
+$396k
-$74k
-$91k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$31k/yr
55
13%
Full Cost$60k/yr
Never
-42%
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 Return11%

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-61%

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 →

Certificates

Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,365
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$85,036
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,739
Natl Median: $44,533
Lifetime Value Added
-$334k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,875
Earnings (4yr)
$58,005
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
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Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$77,059
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,868
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$97,008
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Science
BachCIP: 1413
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,782
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$101,195
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$258k
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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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,133
Natl Median: $42,915
Lifetime Value Added
-$294k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,114
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
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$85,657
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$55,370
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
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Median Debt
$22,836
Earnings (4yr)
$87,511
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,907
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
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Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,448
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,202
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
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Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,556
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
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Median Debt
$25,687
Earnings (4yr)
$51,866
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,259
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,566
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$136,809
Earnings (4yr)
$124,673
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$399k
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Median Debt
$30,468
Earnings (4yr)
$96,278
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,936
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$237k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,738
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,410
Earnings (4yr)
$90,134
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
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Median Debt
$28,572
Earnings (4yr)
$38,749
Natl Median: $53,024
Lifetime Value Added
-$376k
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Median Debt
$53,128
Earnings (4yr)
$112,698
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$295k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Religious Education
MastCIP: 3904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $54,328
Lifetime Value Added
-$365k
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Median Debt
$40,500
Earnings (4yr)
$67,614
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
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Median Debt
$32,247
Earnings (4yr)
$54,390
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$223k
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Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,935
Natl Median: $65,509
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
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Education, General
Gr-CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,448
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$101,518
Natl Median: $74,850
Lifetime Value Added
+$309k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,166
Natl Median: $67,834
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
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Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$104,538
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,982
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.