College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Carlow University

Pittsburgh, PA 1,336 Undergrads 56.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$46,864
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$20,822
After Aid
Median Earnings
$51,051
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$20,822
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$51,051
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate56.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients41.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time74.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
87.1%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -53575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -51375th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2375th: -

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
+$446k
+$49k
-$39k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$371k
-$26k
-$114k
Full Cost$47k/yr
+$277k
-$119k
-$207k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
Never
-152%
Full Cost$47k/yr
Never
-123%
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-129%

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-94%
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
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$64,249
Lifetime Value Added
+$199
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,653
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,264
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$32,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,029
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,748
Lifetime Value Added
-$197k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$28,361
Earnings (5yr)
$35,858
Lifetime Value Added
-$233k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$66k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,896
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$33,935
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k

Master's Degrees

Bioethics/Medical Ethics
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$98,526
Lifetime Value Added
+$388k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$91,632
Lifetime Value Added
+$329k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$55,109
Earnings (5yr)
$54,729
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$54,092
Earnings (5yr)
$110,577
Lifetime Value Added
+$492k
Security Science and Technology
MastCIP: 4304
Median Debt
$34,166
Earnings (2yr)
$52,941
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,857
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k

Graduate Certificates

Special Education and Teaching
Gr-CertCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k

Doctoral Degrees

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
DocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$81,812
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k

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.