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Calvin University
Grand Rapids, MI 2,921 Undergrads 75.6% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$53,286
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$24,783
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,375
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$24,783
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,375
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate75.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients15.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
71.3%
SAT Avg
1,205
SAT Reading
25th: 53061575th: 670
SAT Math
25th: 54061575th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 222775th: 30
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
+$504k
+$108k
+$20k
Median Cost$25k/yr
+$415k
+$19k
-$69k
Full Cost$53k/yr
+$312k
-$84k
-$172k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
47
∞
Median Cost$25k/yr
Never
-78%
Full Cost$53k/yr
Never
-90%
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-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-82%
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
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$81,952
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,093
Lifetime Value Added
+$161
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,682
Earnings (5yr)
$61,669
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,609
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$39,062
Lifetime Value Added
-$220k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$61,323
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$91,999
Lifetime Value Added
+$195k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,400
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$22,409
Earnings (5yr)
$88,670
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,350
Lifetime Value Added
-$251k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,833
Earnings (5yr)
$60,507
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,411
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,337
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$339k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$284k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
BachCIP: 3101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,401
Lifetime Value Added
-$242k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$245k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,767
Earnings (5yr)
$48,432
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$245k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (5yr)
$71,761
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,615
Lifetime Value Added
-$330k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,951
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,096
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$294k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,009
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$47,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$26,022
Earnings (5yr)
$50,391
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Master's Degrees
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$36,079
Earnings (5yr)
$63,173
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
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.