College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Centenary University

Hackettstown, NJ 934 Undergrads 58.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$51,351
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,037
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,726
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,037
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$53,726
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate58.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients37.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
96.7%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -57575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -50575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -1975th: -

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
+$467k
+$71k
-$17k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$399k
+$2k
-$86k
Full Cost$51k/yr
+$282k
-$114k
-$202k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-125%
Full Cost$51k/yr
Never
-109%
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-106%

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-90%
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
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services
BachCIP: 0105
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (2yr)
$31,133
Lifetime Value Added
-$250k
Agricultural Production Operations
BachCIP: 0103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,224
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Apparel and Textiles
BachCIP: 1909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,058
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,861
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,071
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$36,388
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,986
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$27,169
Earnings (5yr)
$59,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$23,611
Earnings (5yr)
$54,473
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$51,273
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$39,633
Earnings (5yr)
$106,382
Lifetime Value Added
+$459k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,543
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k

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.