College ROI

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Carthage College

Kenosha, WI 2,660 Undergrads 61.7% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$52,599
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$26,444
After Aid
Median Earnings
$61,369
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$26,444
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$61,369
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$59,594
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate61.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)20.2
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients29.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
87.1%
SAT Avg
1,150
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 202375th: 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
+$540k
+$70k
+$53k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$445k
-$25k
-$42k
Full Cost$53k/yr
+$351k
-$120k
-$136k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
37
∞
Median Cost$26k/yr
Never
-44%
Full Cost$53k/yr
Never
-72%
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-42%

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%

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 →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,365
Earnings (4yr)
$86,561
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (4yr)
$55,576
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Median Debt
$24,478
Earnings (4yr)
$72,468
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,654
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Median Debt
$25,625
Earnings (4yr)
$106,611
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$316k
Median Debt
$23,249
Earnings (4yr)
$60,633
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,431
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,481
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$240k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$67,703
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,935
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$86,952
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$166k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,459
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$256k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,394
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,045
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$72,160
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$24,421
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$339k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,562
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,733
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
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
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$54,636
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,708
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Median Debt
$26,999
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,975
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,134
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$232k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,688
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$54,832
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$48,349
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,099
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,094
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k

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.