College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown, PA 1,815 Undergrads 70.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$49,318
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$26,198
After Aid
Median Earnings
$62,399
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$26,198
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$62,399
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate70.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
76.8%
SAT Avg
1,190
SAT Reading
25th: 56059575th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 53058075th: 630
ACT Composite
25th: 192675th: 29

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
+$536k
+$139k
+$51k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$441k
+$45k
-$43k
Full Cost$49k/yr
+$358k
-$38k
-$126k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
Median Cost$26k/yr
Never
-46%
Full Cost$49k/yr
Never
-71%
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-39%

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-72%
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
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$76,209
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,814
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,041
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,121
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,304
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$26,788
Earnings (5yr)
$86,261
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 5199
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,838
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Human Services, General
BachCIP: 4400
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,414
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,181
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,248
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,909
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,887
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k

Master's Degrees

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
MastCIP: 5299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$130,224
Lifetime Value Added
+$649k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$70,942
Lifetime Value Added
+$141k

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.