College ROI

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Chadron State College

Chadron, NE 1,540 Undergrads 49.5% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$21,753
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,662
After Aid
Median Earnings
$51,702
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,662
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$51,702
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$51,365
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate49.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age23.2
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS69.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$461k
-$9k
-$25k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$416k
-$54k
-$71k
Full Cost$22k/yr
+$383k
-$87k
-$103k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-155%
Full Cost$22k/yr
Never
-132%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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-132%

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-80%

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

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,217
Earnings (4yr)
$58,263
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$46,495
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
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: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,738
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Median Debt
$18,375
Earnings (4yr)
$44,030
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology, Other
BachCIP: 3199
Median Debt
$19,950
Earnings (4yr)
$46,183
Natl Median: $42,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Physical Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,944
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,484
Natl Median: $56,567
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,875
Earnings (4yr)
$40,919
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,620
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,487
Earnings (4yr)
$45,577
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Median Debt
$26,257
Earnings (4yr)
$50,643
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$23,892
Earnings (4yr)
$89,908
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Median Debt
$38,807
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$240k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,644
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$69,151
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,032
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (4yr)
$61,076
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k

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.