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Denison University
Granville, OH 2,380 Undergrads 83.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$81,900
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$40,007
After Aid
Median Earnings
$62,838
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$40,007
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$62,838
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate83.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients12.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
17.4%
SAT Avg
1,410
SAT Reading
25th: 66065075th: 730
SAT Math
25th: 66068075th: 760
ACT Composite
25th: 303075th: 33
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
+$558k
+$91k
+$74k
Median Cost$40k/yr
+$414k
-$53k
-$70k
Full Cost$82k/yr
+$264k
-$203k
-$221k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
35
∞
Median Cost$40k/yr
Never
-49%
Full Cost$82k/yr
Never
-75%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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-49%
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-79%
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
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,654
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,730
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$427k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$22,375
Earnings (4yr)
$97,394
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$195k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,429
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,167
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$339k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,806
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$402k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$15,552
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$469k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1605
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,525
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
$26,960
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,795
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
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
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,744
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$24,125
Earnings (5yr)
$63,179
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,383
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
$24,932
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,531
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$287k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,358
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology and Anthropology
BachCIP: 4513
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,035
Natl Median: $46,959
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,562
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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.