College ROI

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Dillard University

New Orleans, LA 1,063 Undergrads 46.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$43,538
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$26,363
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,677
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$26,363
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$49,677
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$43,728
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate46.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average starting age (2015-17)20.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients72.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS46.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
41.9%
SAT Avg
1,050
SAT Reading
25th: 48052075th: 640
SAT Math
25th: 48853075th: 562
ACT Composite
25th: 182075th: 22

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
+$445k
-$25k
-$42k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$350k
-$120k
-$137k
Full Cost$44k/yr
+$288k
-$182k
-$198k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$26k/yr
Never
-144%
Full Cost$44k/yr
Never
-127%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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-134%

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-94%

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 →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$251k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$37,061
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$237k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,546
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,103
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,687
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
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
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,076
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,641
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$90,661
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$194k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,532
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.