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Columbus State University
Columbus, GA 5,537 Undergrads 47.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$19,953
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,889
After Aid
Median Earnings
$44,544
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$11,889
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$44,544
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate47.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients46.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time72.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS65.7%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
99.2%
SAT Avg
994
SAT Reading
25th: 46050575th: 570
SAT Math
25th: 40049575th: 530
ACT Composite
25th: 172175th: 24
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
+$393k
-$4k
-$92k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$350k
-$46k
-$134k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$321k
-$75k
-$163k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-314%
Full Cost$20k/yr
Never
-228%
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-292%
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-114%
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
Certificates
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,292
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$23,625
Earnings (5yr)
$53,104
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,275
Earnings (5yr)
$41,476
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,732
Earnings (5yr)
$51,469
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,271
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$29,750
Earnings (5yr)
$93,070
Lifetime Value Added
+$249k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$28,740
Earnings (5yr)
$43,126
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$28,203
Lifetime Value Added
-$266k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,702
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$24,750
Earnings (5yr)
$58,109
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$29,983
Earnings (2yr)
$18,315
Lifetime Value Added
-$342k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$228k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,704
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$26,970
Earnings (5yr)
$41,178
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,914
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,417
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,390
Earnings (5yr)
$40,741
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$20,744
Earnings (5yr)
$82,023
Lifetime Value Added
+$166k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,103
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$28,544
Earnings (5yr)
$43,723
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$27,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,884
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$33,994
Earnings (5yr)
$75,699
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
MastCIP: 5299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$99,441
Lifetime Value Added
+$413k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
MastCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$95,537
Lifetime Value Added
+$429k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,972
Lifetime Value Added
+$245k
Social Sciences, Other
MastCIP: 4599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,801
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$30,871
Earnings (5yr)
$62,060
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$47,391
Earnings (5yr)
$58,393
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$34,166
Earnings (5yr)
$60,142
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,322
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Doctoral Degrees
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$27,616
Earnings (5yr)
$78,235
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Professional Degrees
Educational Administration and Supervision
ProfCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,116
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
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.