College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Caldwell University

Caldwell, NJ 1,437 Undergrads 59.3% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$53,586
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,188
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,843
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$21,188
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$53,843
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate59.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients46.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
65.4%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -55575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -60075th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$468k
+$72k
-$16k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$392k
-$4k
-$92k
Full Cost$54k/yr
+$275k
-$121k
-$209k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
Never
-121%
Full Cost$54k/yr
Never
-108%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year 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-105%

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-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 with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,566
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$39,973
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$24,630
Earnings (5yr)
$57,520
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,449
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,064
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,425
Earnings (5yr)
$51,324
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$100,169
Lifetime Value Added
+$269k
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,774
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$323k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,058
Lifetime Value Added
+$324k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,870
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,512
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,332
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k

Graduate Certificates

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Gr-CertCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,876
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, 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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.