College ROI

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Emporia State University

Emporia, KS 2,239 Undergrads 55.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$21,967
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,261
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,751
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,261
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$53,751
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$47,601
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate55.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients35.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS70.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
97.7%
SAT Avg
1,120
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 18-75th: 24

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
+$485k
+$18k
+$410
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$426k
-$41k
-$58k
Full Cost$22k/yr
+$406k
-$61k
-$79k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
64
∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
Never
-99%
Full Cost$22k/yr
Never
-99%
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-76%

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-66%
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
$16,308
Earnings (4yr)
$65,271
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,043
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Median Debt
$14,250
Earnings (4yr)
$60,719
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,426
Earnings (4yr)
$45,003
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,574
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,292
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Median Debt
$23,113
Earnings (4yr)
$34,355
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$223k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,692
Earnings (4yr)
$68,568
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Median Debt
$18,868
Earnings (4yr)
$67,263
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Median Debt
$21,844
Earnings (4yr)
$50,717
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$55,527
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,887
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,022
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$20,574
Earnings (4yr)
$48,325
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Median Debt
$21,581
Earnings (4yr)
$71,002
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,445
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,661
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Median Debt
$20,042
Earnings (4yr)
$46,195
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Median Debt
$21,570
Earnings (4yr)
$50,458
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$78,956
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$369k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$89,555
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Median Debt
$34,104
Earnings (4yr)
$51,389
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$223k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,026
Earnings (4yr)
$59,568
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Median Debt
$18,499
Earnings (4yr)
$80,168
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,414
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,298
Earnings (4yr)
$54,843
Natl Median: $56,301
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,133
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Median Debt
$40,126
Earnings (4yr)
$52,486
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$213k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physical Sciences, General
MastCIP: 4001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,703
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,183
Earnings (4yr)
$51,820
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,216
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,963
Earnings (4yr)
$58,389
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Median Debt
$24,237
Earnings (4yr)
$60,355
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Median Debt
$23,075
Earnings (4yr)
$53,602
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Median Debt
$18,862
Earnings (4yr)
$65,259
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,455
Natl Median: $65,226
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,805
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.