College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Bradley University

Peoria, IL 3,574 Undergrads 77.4% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
Share
Total Cost
$54,730
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,719
After Aid
Median Earnings
$74,150
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,719
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$74,150
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$66,852
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate77.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients30.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
76.8%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -58575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -58575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2775th: -

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
+$646k
+$179k
+$161k
Median Cost$23k/yr
+$564k
+$97k
+$79k
Full Cost$55k/yr
+$449k
-$18k
-$36k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$23k/yr
39
97%
Full Cost$55k/yr
Never
-18%
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 Return58%

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-45%
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
$25,250
Earnings (4yr)
$80,877
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$74,054
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Median Debt
$24,575
Earnings (4yr)
$73,110
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$83,801
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$107,379
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$333k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$82,309
Natl Median: $97,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,636
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,888
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,980
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$347k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$100,391
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$280k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,769
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,646
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,489
Natl Median: $64,926
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,212
Earnings (4yr)
$77,976
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,330
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,228
Natl Median: $54,945
Lifetime Value Added
-$272k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Natl Median: $75,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$37,657
Natl Median: $43,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Median Debt
$26,604
Earnings (4yr)
$67,735
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,719
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,685
Earnings (4yr)
$89,362
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$196k
Median Debt
$24,975
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,461
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$279k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,883
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$64,773
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$88,690
Natl Median: $88,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$24,017
Earnings (4yr)
$76,255
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$95,896
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$245k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
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
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,832
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,378
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,515
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$42,006
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$86,941
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,869
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,715
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,571
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,522
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,460
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,325
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,271
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$111,907
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$303k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,269
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,040
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $122,873
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$123,381
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$402k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,679
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$223k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$80,137
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$84,214
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k

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.