College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Carthage College

Kenosha, WI 2,628 Undergrads 64.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$47,980
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$24,813
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,950
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$24,813
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$56,950
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate64.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients26.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
84.2%
SAT Avg
1,113
SAT Reading
25th: 49055075th: 605
SAT Math
25th: 51054075th: 600
ACT Composite
25th: 192475th: 26

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
+$493k
+$96k
+$9k
Median Cost$25k/yr
+$404k
+$7k
-$81k
Full Cost$48k/yr
+$320k
-$76k
-$164k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
54
Median Cost$25k/yr
Never
-90%
Full Cost$48k/yr
Never
-95%
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-81%

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-83%
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
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$79,104
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$66,230
Lifetime Value Added
+$1k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,298
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$25,125
Earnings (5yr)
$58,690
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$60,094
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,909
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,354
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$19,227
Lifetime Value Added
-$380k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$26,634
Earnings (5yr)
$35,653
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$25,709
Earnings (5yr)
$81,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,459
Lifetime Value Added
-$250k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,949
Earnings (5yr)
$56,766
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,136
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,697
Earnings (5yr)
$68,100
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (2yr)
$37,856
Lifetime Value Added
-$210k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,258
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,826
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$55,646
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,202
Lifetime Value Added
+$884
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,640
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,577
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,134
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$25,454
Earnings (5yr)
$47,182
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,998
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k

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.