College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City, NC 1,863 Undergrads 43.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$18,837
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,237
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,026
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$7,237
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$40,026
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate43.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients58.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS57.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
70.5%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -50075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -46575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -1775th: -

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
+$355k
-$41k
-$129k
Median Cost$7k/yr
+$329k
-$67k
-$155k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$288k
-$109k
-$197k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$7k/yr
Never
-595%
Full Cost$19k/yr
Never
-290%
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-396%

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-135%
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
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$211k
Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,249
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,906
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,627
Earnings (5yr)
$40,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,058
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,696
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (5yr)
$42,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$231k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,785
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$309k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
BachCIP: 5120
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$262k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,014
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,421
Earnings (5yr)
$44,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,732
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,163
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k

Master's Degrees

Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k

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.