College ROI

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Cumberland University

Lebanon, TN 2,104 Undergrads 59.0% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$40,411
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,965
After Aid
Median Earnings
$65,915
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,965
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$65,915
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$66,885
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate59.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)23.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients42.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
67.3%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$576k
+$106k
+$89k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$518k
+$48k
+$32k
Full Cost$40k/yr
+$430k
-$40k
-$56k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
46
55%
Full Cost$40k/yr
Never
-39%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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 Return20%

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-54%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,337
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,653
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
AssocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,787
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
AssocCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,827
Natl Median: $31,650
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,271
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Music
AssocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,056
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,366
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,960
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$260k
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$60,477
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,032
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,530
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,961
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$17,250
Earnings (4yr)
$42,713
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$78,954
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$16,868
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,369
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$80,635
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,122
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,487
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,726
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$304k
Median Debt
$24,420
Earnings (4yr)
$54,166
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$198k

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.