College ROI

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Columbus State University

Columbus, GA 5,625 Undergrads 47.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$21,676
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,115
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,912
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,115
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$60,912
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+37%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$44,544
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate47.9%
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 Age23.6
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients47.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time72.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS65.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
99.1%
SAT Avg
977
SAT Reading
25th: 44050575th: 530
SAT Math
25th: 36049575th: 530
ACT Composite
25th: 162175th: 22

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$543k
+$76k
+$59k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$496k
+$29k
+$11k
Full Cost$22k/yr
+$465k
-$2k
-$19k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
36
∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
54
24%
Full Cost$22k/yr
Never
-25%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return56%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-32%
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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,761
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,400
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,062
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,337
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,800
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
CertCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,006
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,689
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,243
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$23,625
Earnings (4yr)
$61,389
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,275
Earnings (4yr)
$47,819
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Median Debt
$27,732
Earnings (4yr)
$49,673
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,246
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,235
Earnings (4yr)
$48,499
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Median Debt
$29,750
Earnings (4yr)
$80,694
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
Median Debt
$28,740
Earnings (4yr)
$49,956
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$34,931
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$42,316
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Median Debt
$24,750
Earnings (4yr)
$65,380
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Median Debt
$29,983
Earnings (4yr)
$35,560
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$201k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,864
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Median Debt
$26,970
Earnings (4yr)
$45,997
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,914
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,450
Earnings (4yr)
$63,514
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,588
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,941
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$18,218
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$354k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,008
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,390
Earnings (4yr)
$41,266
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Median Debt
$20,744
Earnings (4yr)
$89,659
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$232k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,103
Natl Median: $44,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (4yr)
$44,506
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,912
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Median Debt
$28,544
Earnings (4yr)
$46,723
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Median Debt
$27,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,125
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$33,994
Earnings (4yr)
$78,778
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$91,069
Natl Median: $96,656
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$119,397
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$385k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$94,267
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
+$166k
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,333
Earnings (4yr)
$74,854
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$36,848
Earnings (4yr)
$111,944
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$321k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,595
Natl Median: $64,286
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Median Debt
$30,871
Earnings (4yr)
$63,482
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$47,391
Earnings (4yr)
$54,549
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Median Debt
$34,166
Earnings (4yr)
$62,834
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,322
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,517
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
Gr-CertCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,504
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,709
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Education, Other
DocCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$107,801
Natl Median: $90,635
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Median Debt
$27,616
Earnings (4yr)
$85,580
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Median Debt
$54,843
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,822
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.