College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Concordia University-Irvine

Irvine, CA 1,456 Undergrads 62.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$56,500
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$28,046
After Aid
Median Earnings
$65,083
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$28,046
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$65,083
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate62.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
59.9%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -58075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -56575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2575th: -

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
+$556k
+$160k
+$72k
Median Cost$28k/yr
+$455k
+$59k
-$29k
Full Cost$57k/yr
+$353k
-$44k
-$132k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
35
Median Cost$28k/yr
Never
-29%
Full Cost$57k/yr
Never
-65%
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-29%

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-71%
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

Behavioral Sciences
BachCIP: 3017
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (5yr)
$61,744
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,730
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,220
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$24,848
Earnings (5yr)
$61,593
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,496
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$24,125
Earnings (5yr)
$42,288
Lifetime Value Added
-$204k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,713
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,966
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$20,312
Earnings (5yr)
$109,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$317k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$28,038
Earnings (5yr)
$98,124
Lifetime Value Added
+$372k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$101,506
Lifetime Value Added
+$401k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$107,036
Lifetime Value Added
+$448k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
MastCIP: 1305
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$106,357
Lifetime Value Added
+$442k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$29,290
Earnings (5yr)
$72,096
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
International/Global Studies
MastCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$24,732
Earnings (5yr)
$50,061
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$42,448
Earnings (5yr)
$99,962
Lifetime Value Added
+$388k

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.