College ROI

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Carson-Newman University

Jefferson City, TN 1,387 Undergrads 54.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$50,237
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,130
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,793
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,130
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$49,793
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$51,756
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate54.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)20.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS67.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
90.5%
SAT Avg
1,117
SAT Reading
25th: 50053075th: 645
SAT Math
25th: 45554075th: 570
ACT Composite
25th: 192275th: 25

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
+$446k
-$25k
-$41k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$380k
-$90k
-$106k
Full Cost$50k/yr
+$265k
-$205k
-$222k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-163%
Full Cost$50k/yr
Never
-123%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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-95%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,884
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$14,375
Earnings (4yr)
$35,843
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
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Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,634
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$17,297
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,836
Earnings (4yr)
$64,503
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,614
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
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Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Physics
BachCIP: 1412
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,154
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,166
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
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History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,649
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$316k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,324
Earnings (4yr)
$37,992
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
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Psychology, Other
BachCIP: 4299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,609
Natl Median: $50,748
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
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Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,769
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,115
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,865
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,311
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,340
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,780
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$21,823
Earnings (4yr)
$86,617
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,411
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
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Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,487
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,413
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
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Psychology, Other
MastCIP: 4299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,796
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$46,153
Earnings (4yr)
$108,765
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$284k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$285k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,874
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$224k
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Median Debt
$26,767
Earnings (4yr)
$53,619
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,243
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$210k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,940
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
-$223k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$76,497
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,066
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,794
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 (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.