Bluffton University

Bluffton, OH 582 Undergrads 57.8% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$51,862

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$19,943

After Aid

Median Earnings

$49,053

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,943

Peer Midpoint: $20,081

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation

$49,053

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment

$49,547

Peer Midpoint: $53,763

Graduation Rate57.8%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age21.2

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients41.5%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time98.8%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS74.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

67.2%

SAT Avg

976

SAT Reading

25th: 430-75th: 550

SAT Math

25th: 430-75th: 580

ACT Composite

25th: 16-75th: 22

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

+$446k

-$21k

-$39k

Median Cost$20k/yr

+$374k

-$93k

-$110k

Full Cost$52k/yr

+$259k

-$208k

-$225k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

Never

-∞

Median Cost$20k/yr

Never

-154%

Full Cost$52k/yr

Never

-121%

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-126%

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-94%

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 (4yr)

$62,315

Natl Median: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

-$2k

Bible/Biblical Studies

BachCIP: 3902

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $44,533

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$57,308

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

-$42k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer and Information Sciences, General

BachCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $92,374

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

BachCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,378

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Design and Applied Arts

BachCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,490

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services

BachCIP: 1905

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (4yr)

$47,378

Natl Median: $54,945

Lifetime Value Added

-$125k

Health/Medical Preparatory Programs

BachCIP: 5111

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $61,911

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

BachCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,568

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Resources Management and Services

BachCIP: 5210

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$76,243

Natl Median: $68,069

Lifetime Value Added

+$105k

Journalism

BachCIP: 0904

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,278

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Marketing

BachCIP: 5214

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,303

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

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

Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries

BachCIP: 3907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,915

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physics

BachCIP: 4008

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $76,786

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$42,742

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$164k

Public Health

BachCIP: 5122

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,808

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

BachCIP: 0909

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,560

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

BachCIP: 0907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,497

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

BachCIP: 5138

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $88,910

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

BachCIP: 2313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,471

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Social Work

BachCIP: 4407

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$55,073

Natl Median: $51,790

Lifetime Value Added

-$60k

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Special Education and Teaching

BachCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$41,602

Natl Median: $50,499

Lifetime Value Added

-$174k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

BachCIP: 3105

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$44,920

Natl Median: $54,562

Lifetime Value Added

-$145k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$44,290

Natl Median: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

-$151k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,389

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language

BachCIP: 1314

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,259

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services

PB-CertCIP: 5131

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $61,571

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations

MastCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$37,330

Earnings (4yr)

$74,947

Natl Median: $103,485

Lifetime Value Added

-$16k

Education, General

MastCIP: 1301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,824

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Resources Management and Services

MastCIP: 5210

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $83,558

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Graduate Certificates

Special Education and Teaching

Gr-CertCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,147

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

Gr-CertCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,444

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Other Programs

Special Education and Teaching

DegCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $70,406

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

DegCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,802

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. 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.