College ROI

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Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, IL 4,188 Undergrads 57.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$26,996
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,786
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,620
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,786
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$53,620
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$51,989
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate57.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.9
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients46.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS72.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
65.3%
SAT Avg
1,000
SAT Reading
25th: 46052075th: 560
SAT Math
25th: 42050075th: 530
ACT Composite
25th: -2075th: -

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
+$484k
+$17k
-$674
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$438k
-$29k
-$47k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$387k
-$80k
-$98k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-101%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-101%
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-83%

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-73%
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

Median Debt
$22,229
Earnings (4yr)
$66,840
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,556
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,725
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,257
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)
-
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,676
Earnings (4yr)
$57,887
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Median Debt
$19,040
Earnings (4yr)
$60,473
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$72,220
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,348
Earnings (4yr)
$47,222
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,209
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Median Debt
$15,478
Earnings (4yr)
$70,704
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Median Debt
$23,725
Earnings (4yr)
$39,923
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,564
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,597
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,362
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,038
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$52,078
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,325
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,985
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$22,625
Earnings (4yr)
$62,994
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $118,943
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,926
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Median Debt
$16,348
Earnings (4yr)
$54,791
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,236
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,424
Natl Median: $50,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
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
$20,326
Earnings (4yr)
$61,519
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,712
Earnings (4yr)
$49,478
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$59,401
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$494
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$70,176
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,925
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Median Debt
$22,062
Earnings (4yr)
$47,566
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,165
Earnings (4yr)
$50,502
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,190
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,548
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k

Master's Degrees

Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,714
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biotechnology
MastCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,682
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,546
Earnings (4yr)
$95,880
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
Median Debt
$20,226
Earnings (4yr)
$69,772
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$39,565
Earnings (4yr)
$61,989
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,035
Earnings (4yr)
$58,856
Natl Median: $62,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,123
Earnings (4yr)
$72,758
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,043
Earnings (4yr)
$56,435
Natl Median: $60,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Median Debt
$14,627
Earnings (4yr)
$58,301
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Gerontology
MastCIP: 3011
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,618
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,346
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
-$275k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,047
Natl Median: $89,051
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,359
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$15,601
Earnings (4yr)
$58,533
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Median Debt
$26,269
Earnings (4yr)
$51,527
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $111,527
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,673
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$244k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,683
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,917
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,802
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,347
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,231
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.