College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Dominican University

River Forest, IL 2,271 Undergrads 62.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$44,414
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,113
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,327
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,113
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$60,327
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate62.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients50.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
79.8%
SAT Avg
1,022
SAT Reading
25th: 48052075th: 570
SAT Math
25th: 45451575th: 570
ACT Composite
25th: 172575th: 22

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
+$519k
+$123k
+$35k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$465k
+$69k
-$19k
Full Cost$44k/yr
+$360k
-$37k
-$125k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
41
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-36%
Full Cost$44k/yr
Never
-78%
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-50%

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-74%
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
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$85,966
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,117
Earnings (5yr)
$61,903
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,669
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$89,392
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,128
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$26,344
Earnings (2yr)
$31,133
Lifetime Value Added
-$236k
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services
BachCIP: 5131
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,402
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
BachCIP: 5111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,844
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Natural Sciences
BachCIP: 3018
Median Debt
$25,109
Earnings (5yr)
$64,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,858
Earnings (5yr)
$56,614
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$26,246
Earnings (2yr)
$36,141
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,989
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations
BachCIP: 5219
Median Debt
$26,585
Earnings (5yr)
$48,414
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$35,603
Earnings (5yr)
$82,338
Lifetime Value Added
+$260k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Lifetime Value Added
+$324k
Library Science and Administration
MastCIP: 2501
Median Debt
$37,998
Earnings (5yr)
$57,696
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,167
Earnings (5yr)
$62,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,044
Lifetime Value Added
+$171k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,659
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k

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.