College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Chadron State College

Chadron, NE 1,634 Undergrads 41.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$20,672
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,308
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,002
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,308
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$47,002
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate41.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time89.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS69.0%

Admissions Profile

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

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
+$413k
+$16k
-$71k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$365k
-$31k
-$119k
Full Cost$21k/yr
+$339k
-$58k
-$146k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-249%
Full Cost$21k/yr
Never
-196%
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-240%

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-103%
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

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,970
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (5yr)
$56,015
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$19,800
Earnings (5yr)
$39,246
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$14,980
Earnings (5yr)
$38,641
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3199
Median Debt
$24,125
Earnings (5yr)
$39,336
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
$14,513
Earnings (5yr)
$47,267
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$39,612
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$18,186
Earnings (5yr)
$46,375
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$21,975
Earnings (5yr)
$51,833
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,466
Earnings (5yr)
$95,825
Lifetime Value Added
+$379k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$18,555
Earnings (2yr)
$56,415
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$19,829
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Lifetime Value Added
+$188k
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,311
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,673
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k

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.