College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Brenau University

Gainesville, GA 1,029 Undergrads 34.5% Grad Rate
School Website
Share
Total Cost
$46,493
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,968
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,714
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$17,968
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$56,714
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$54,638
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate34.5%
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 Age29.5
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients59.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time84.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS69.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
87.8%
SAT Avg
1,079
SAT Reading
25th: 50056075th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 43050575th: 580
ACT Composite
25th: 182375th: 22

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
+$502k
+$32k
+$16k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$438k
-$32k
-$49k
Full Cost$46k/yr
+$335k
-$135k
-$151k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
49
∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-75%
Full Cost$46k/yr
Never
-90%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ 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

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-73%

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-81%

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 →

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$29,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,968
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Try this program with your own numbers →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,925
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,114
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (4yr)
$36,910
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
Try this program with your own numbers →
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
Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (4yr)
$38,591
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Try this program with your own numbers →
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,693
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,149
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$29,874
Earnings (4yr)
$42,586
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$25,498
Earnings (4yr)
$88,731
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$38,916
Earnings (4yr)
$46,138
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$51,009
Earnings (4yr)
$91,509
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$80,464
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$68,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,251
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$268k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Gerontology
MastCIP: 3011
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,743
Natl Median: $67,618
Lifetime Value Added
-$234k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$80,790
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$47,846
Earnings (5yr)
$77,108
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,092
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,430
Natl Median: $79,106
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$80,143
Earnings (4yr)
$116,299
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$350k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$119,854
Earnings (4yr)
$74,827
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$51,250
Earnings (4yr)
$69,139
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Try this program with your own numbers →

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,117
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
Gr-CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,837
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$174,014
Earnings (4yr)
$84,269
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Try this program with your own numbers →

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$65,387
Natl Median: $81,320
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
Try this program with your own numbers →

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.