College ROI

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Black Hills State University

Spearfish, SD 1,928 Undergrads 43.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$21,277
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,911
After Aid
Median Earnings
$48,243
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,911
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$48,243
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$46,674
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate43.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age22.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients32.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time80.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS64.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
96.3%
SAT Avg
1,087
SAT Reading
25th: 46555075th: 565
SAT Math
25th: 50051075th: 570
ACT Composite
25th: 182175th: 24

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$439k
-$28k
-$46k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$382k
-$85k
-$103k
Full Cost$21k/yr
+$362k
-$105k
-$122k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
Never
-180%
Full Cost$21k/yr
Never
-159%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-179%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-90%
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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,097
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,937
Natl Median: $43,761
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,529
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,337
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,211
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,800
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
CertCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,299
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
CertCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,318
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
CertCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,562
Natl Median: $50,205
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k

Associate's Degrees

Biology, General
AssocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,349
Natl Median: $44,758
Lifetime Value Added
+$118k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,066
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,193
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$69,079
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,764
Earnings (4yr)
$40,967
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,626
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,537
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Median Debt
$27,375
Earnings (4yr)
$42,781
Natl Median: $51,936
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$29,733
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$262k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,824
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$315k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Outdoor Education
BachCIP: 3106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,157
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physical Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,944
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,096
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$42,417
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,833
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Median Debt
$23,351
Earnings (4yr)
$48,332
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,622
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Median Debt
$23,594
Earnings (4yr)
$44,958
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,883
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,881
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,150
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,897
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,500
Earnings (4yr)
$57,025
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,793
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k

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.