College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Elmira College

Elmira, NY 583 Undergrads 67.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$50,783
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,735
After Aid
Median Earnings
$57,550
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,735
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$57,550
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate67.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
90.8%
SAT Avg
1,239
SAT Reading
25th: 543-75th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 573-75th: 682
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$498k
+$101k
+$13k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$412k
+$16k
-$72k
Full Cost$51k/yr
+$315k
-$82k
-$169k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
50
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-84%
Full Cost$51k/yr
Never
-93%
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-78%

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-82%
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 (5yr)
$80,241
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,177
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,566
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Human Services, General
BachCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,233
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$77,681
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,362
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,715
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,844
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k

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.