College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Charleston, SC 2,624 Undergrads 74.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$31,943
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,002
After Aid
Median Earnings
$72,085
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$21,002
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$72,085
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate74.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
98.1%
SAT Avg
1,184
SAT Reading
25th: 540-75th: 640
SAT Math
25th: 540-75th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: 22-75th: 26

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
+$608k
+$212k
+$124k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$533k
+$136k
+$48k
Full Cost$32k/yr
+$493k
+$97k
+$9k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
Median Cost$21k/yr
43
64%
Full Cost$32k/yr
58
8%
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 Return110%

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-24%
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
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$77,951
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$23,481
Earnings (5yr)
$89,930
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (2yr)
$59,124
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$24,189
Earnings (5yr)
$67,591
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$22,873
Earnings (5yr)
$86,870
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,220
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$25,524
Earnings (5yr)
$59,089
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,025
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (5yr)
$66,788
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,261
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,729
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$29,192
Earnings (5yr)
$109,667
Lifetime Value Added
+$484k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,170
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$27,980
Earnings (2yr)
$55,547
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Engineering-Related Fields
MastCIP: 1515
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$113,053
Lifetime Value Added
+$513k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,844
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$49,592
Earnings (5yr)
$46,661
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$33,550
Earnings (5yr)
$50,731
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,758
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k

Graduate Certificates

Engineering-Related Fields
Gr-CertCIP: 1515
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$113,528
Lifetime Value Added
+$626k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
Gr-CertCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,869
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k

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.