College ROI

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Butler University

Indianapolis, IN 4,317 Undergrads 81.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$65,970
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$36,041
After Aid
Median Earnings
$73,732
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$36,041
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$73,732
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$77,235
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate81.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients14.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS85.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
85.1%
SAT Avg
1,274
SAT Reading
25th: 59062575th: 680
SAT Math
25th: 57062075th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 262875th: 31

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
+$642k
+$176k
+$158k
Median Cost$36k/yr
+$513k
+$46k
+$28k
Full Cost$66k/yr
+$405k
-$62k
-$79k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$36k/yr
51
22%
Full Cost$66k/yr
Never
-33%
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 Return29%

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-55%
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

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$93,584
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$180k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,551
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
-$239k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,889
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,619
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,477
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$93,188
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,894
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,373
Natl Median: $55,034
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,572
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,952
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$81,344
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Insurance
BachCIP: 5217
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$89,343
Natl Median: $88,472
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,756
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$86,793
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,363
Natl Median: $79,811
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$70,154
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$922
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$24,170
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,114
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
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 (5yr)
$45,152
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Median Debt
$26,588
Earnings (4yr)
$75,382
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,870
Earnings (5yr)
$62,341
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,452
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,664
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Education, Other
PB-CertCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,674
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,516
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,635
Natl Median: $68,085
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,439
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$105,303
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
Median Debt
$107,199
Earnings (5yr)
$127,507
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$392k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$125,011
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$392k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,109
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$35,132
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$133,681
Natl Median: $138,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k

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.