College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

DeSales University

Center Valley, PA 2,113 Undergrads 59.7% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$59,409
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$30,465
After Aid
Median Earnings
$61,295
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$30,465
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$61,295
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate59.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients23.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time87.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
78.6%
SAT Avg
1,199
SAT Reading
25th: 55059575th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 54057575th: 640
ACT Composite
25th: 242675th: 28

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
+$527k
+$131k
+$43k
Median Cost$30k/yr
+$417k
+$21k
-$67k
Full Cost$59k/yr
+$313k
-$83k
-$171k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
39
Median Cost$30k/yr
Never
-61%
Full Cost$59k/yr
Never
-80%
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-57%

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

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$74,161
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$73,624
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,250
Earnings (5yr)
$60,190
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
BachCIP: 0999
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,280
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$75,432
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$34,526
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,781
Lifetime Value Added
-$377k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$34,759
Lifetime Value Added
-$277k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$26,875
Earnings (5yr)
$48,623
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,754
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,246
Earnings (5yr)
$67,421
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$24,499
Earnings (5yr)
$69,394
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$74,032
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
BachCIP: 5120
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,593
Lifetime Value Added
-$305k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$40,838
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$81,838
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,144
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k

Master's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (5yr)
$133,044
Lifetime Value Added
+$665k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$35,731
Earnings (5yr)
$100,633
Lifetime Value Added
+$389k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,247
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$40,500
Earnings (5yr)
$127,503
Lifetime Value Added
+$618k

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.