College ROI

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Denison University

Granville, OH 2,380 Undergrads 83.3% Grad Rate
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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: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$62,838
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$67,753
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate83.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.4
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
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
+$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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, 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
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,167
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$339k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,806
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$402k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$15,552
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$469k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Median Debt
$26,960
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,795
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
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
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,932
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,531
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$287k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,358
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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 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.