College ROI

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Bismarck State College

Bismarck, ND 2,629 Undergrads 53.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$15,274
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,725
After Aid
Median Earnings
$54,277
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,725
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$54,277
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate53.0%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients21.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time70.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$534k
+$145k
+$49k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$514k
+$125k
+$30k
Full Cost$15k/yr
+$506k
+$117k
+$21k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
38
151%
Full Cost$15k/yr
42
76%
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 Return256%

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 Return20%
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

Certificates

Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
CertCIP: 4603
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (5yr)
$78,479
Lifetime Value Added
+$353k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$5,775
Earnings (5yr)
$55,078
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k

Associate's Degrees

Agricultural Business and Management
AssocCIP: 0101
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,268
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,937
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,670
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
AssocCIP: 1109
Median Debt
$16,005
Earnings (2yr)
$46,087
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
AssocCIP: 4603
Median Debt
$7,153
Earnings (2yr)
$53,358
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
$11,892
Earnings (5yr)
$114,086
Lifetime Value Added
+$591k
Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$106,999
Lifetime Value Added
+$529k
Human Services, General
AssocCIP: 4400
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$197k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1506
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$113,847
Lifetime Value Added
+$589k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$10,887
Earnings (5yr)
$50,084
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$106,364
Lifetime Value Added
+$524k
Nuclear Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1514
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$119,805
Lifetime Value Added
+$705k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$20,479
Earnings (5yr)
$67,782
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k

Bachelor's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$15,250
Earnings (5yr)
$130,501
Lifetime Value Added
+$532k

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.