College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Cedarville University

Cedarville, OH 3,815 Undergrads 73.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$46,994
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,022
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,443
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$25,022
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$55,443
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate73.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients18.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
62.8%
SAT Avg
1,246
SAT Reading
25th: 57063075th: 690
SAT Math
25th: 54060575th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 232675th: 29

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
+$481k
+$85k
-$3k
Median Cost$25k/yr
+$391k
-$6k
-$93k
Full Cost$47k/yr
+$312k
-$85k
-$173k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$25k/yr
Never
-104%
Full Cost$47k/yr
Never
-102%
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-93%

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-85%
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
$22,125
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (2yr)
$50,270
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,646
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$73,635
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$103,162
Lifetime Value Added
+$277k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,239
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$67,101
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (2yr)
$18,154
Lifetime Value Added
-$391k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$24,697
Earnings (5yr)
$81,962
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,649
Lifetime Value Added
-$340k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$38,743
Lifetime Value Added
-$223k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,544
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$49,927
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$40,365
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (2yr)
$36,132
Lifetime Value Added
-$227k

Master's Degrees

Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,193
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k

Doctoral Degrees

Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
DocCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$125,673
Earnings (5yr)
$137,659
Lifetime Value Added
+$479k

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.