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Drake University
Des Moines, IA 2,669 Undergrads 78.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$62,407
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$30,042
After Aid
Median Earnings
$71,901
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$30,042
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$71,901
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate78.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients20.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS87.9%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
64.1%
SAT Avg
1,288
SAT Reading
25th: 61065575th: 690
SAT Math
25th: 58064575th: 700
ACT Composite
25th: 242875th: 30
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
+$607k
+$211k
+$123k
Median Cost$30k/yr
+$499k
+$102k
+$15k
Full Cost$62k/yr
+$382k
-$14k
-$102k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$30k/yr
55
13%
Full Cost$62k/yr
Never
-45%
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 Return6%
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-61%
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
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$90,542
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$20,375
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$313k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,796
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$17,053
Earnings (5yr)
$81,031
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$92,007
Lifetime Value Added
+$176k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,719
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,216
Lifetime Value Added
-$263k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,288
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$100,759
Lifetime Value Added
+$241k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,232
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,236
Lifetime Value Added
-$316k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,439
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Legal Professions and Studies, Other
BachCIP: 2299
Median Debt
$23,125
Earnings (5yr)
$68,055
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$64,990
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$23,979
Earnings (5yr)
$118,300
Lifetime Value Added
+$372k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$82,473
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,704
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
BachCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,683
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,948
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,248
Earnings (5yr)
$50,270
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$75,436
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,135
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$264k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,974
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,835
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$95,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$344k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$118,142
Lifetime Value Added
+$540k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,067
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$23,522
Earnings (5yr)
$90,273
Lifetime Value Added
+$301k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$20,075
Earnings (5yr)
$72,990
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,898
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$30,966
Earnings (5yr)
$57,470
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$56,234
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$83,526
Earnings (5yr)
$81,991
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
ProfCIP: 5120
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$143,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$503k
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.