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Calvin University
Grand Rapids, MI 3,193 Undergrads 77.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$54,222
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,992
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,889
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$22,992
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (10yr)$60,889
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate77.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients16.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
70.9%
SAT Avg
1,233
SAT Reading
25th: 55061575th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 53361575th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 242775th: 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
+$536k
+$76k
+$59k
Median Cost$23k/yr
+$453k
-$7k
-$24k
Full Cost$54k/yr
+$341k
-$119k
-$137k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
36
∞
Median Cost$23k/yr
Never
-29%
Full Cost$54k/yr
Never
-70%
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-39%
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-74%
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 (4yr)
$75,085
Nat: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Nat: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$278k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,682
Earnings (4yr)
$44,763
Nat: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,155
Nat: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Classical and Ancient Studies
BachCIP: 3022
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $50,477
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1612
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$43,138
Nat: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$60,986
Nat: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (4yr)
$95,410
Nat: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
Computer Systems Analysis
BachCIP: 1105
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $78,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1603
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,169
Nat: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$22,409
Earnings (4yr)
$82,326
Nat: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings
-
Nat: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Nat: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$312k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1605
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,035
Nat: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$330k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Literature
BachCIP: 2314
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $46,173
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,337
Nat: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,693
Nat: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$333k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Nat: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$278k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Nat: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$239k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,767
Earnings (4yr)
$54,412
Nat: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,281
Nat: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (4yr)
$74,810
Nat: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings
-
Nat: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$32,843
Nat: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$50,218
Nat: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,811
Nat: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Nat: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$288k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,009
Nat: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$194k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,833
Earnings (4yr)
$53,949
Nat: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,157
Nat: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$26,022
Earnings (4yr)
$45,579
Nat: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$36,079
Earnings (4yr)
$63,146
Nat: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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.