College ROI

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Chapman University

Orange, CA 7,478 Undergrads 82.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$83,146
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$46,555
After Aid
Median Earnings
$73,336
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$46,555
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$73,336
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$70,070
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate82.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.9
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients20.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
65.4%
SAT Avg
1,357
SAT Reading
25th: 63065575th: 720
SAT Math
25th: 63065575th: 720
ACT Composite
25th: 282975th: 31

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
+$639k
+$172k
+$155k
Median Cost$47k/yr
+$472k
+$5k
-$13k
Full Cost$83k/yr
+$340k
-$127k
-$144k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$47k/yr
Never
-7%
Full Cost$83k/yr
Never
-48%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return0%

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-65%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Certificates

Statistics
CertCIP: 2705
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,722
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,875
Earnings (4yr)
$102,147
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$64,461
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Median Debt
$19,625
Earnings (4yr)
$84,378
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Median Debt
$17,875
Earnings (4yr)
$76,412
Natl Median: $65,784
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Median Debt
$22,977
Earnings (4yr)
$84,978
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,777
Earnings (4yr)
$73,461
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$21,809
Earnings (4yr)
$112,780
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$288k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
$23,624
Earnings (4yr)
$50,612
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Median Debt
$23,823
Earnings (4yr)
$78,121
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,611
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$64,917
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Median Debt
$22,875
Earnings (4yr)
$58,055
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
BachCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Natl Median: $56,185
Lifetime Value Added
-$314k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$66,494
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$396k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,050
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$22,290
Earnings (4yr)
$79,135
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,796
Natl Median: $51,718
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,983
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,698
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$269k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $63,114
Lifetime Value Added
-$362k
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
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$68,856
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$63,617
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$23,125
Earnings (4yr)
$72,529
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$80,139
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Publishing
BachCIP: 0910
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,183
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$247k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$404k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,047
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,108
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$989
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$119,750
Earnings (4yr)
$84,482
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Median Debt
$79,168
Earnings (4yr)
$121,592
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$343k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$107,808
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
+$223k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,167
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $139,553
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $148,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminology
MastCIP: 4504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$138,664
Earnings (4yr)
$41,394
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$376k
Median Debt
$30,300
Earnings (4yr)
$82,030
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$144,710
Earnings (4yr)
$50,895
Natl Median: $51,486
Lifetime Value Added
-$284k
International/Globalization Studies
MastCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,219
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$87,286
Earnings (4yr)
$77,174
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Nutrition Sciences
MastCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$72,899
Natl Median: $67,126
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,267
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,144
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,762
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$81,239
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$69,818
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$77,715
Natl Median: $65,509
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,147
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$91,744
Natl Median: $83,031
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $136,696
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$99,733
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$170,800
Earnings (4yr)
$119,002
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Median Debt
$248,569
Earnings (4yr)
$153,718
Natl Median: $138,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$323k
Median Debt
$159,899
Earnings (4yr)
$94,016
Natl Median: $81,641
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,802
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.