College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Fairmont State University

Fairmont, WV 2,690 Undergrads 53.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$18,091
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,055
After Aid
Median Earnings
$46,857
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$9,055
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$46,857
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate53.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients38.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time86.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS68.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
99.2%
SAT Avg
993
SAT Reading
25th: 45051075th: 560
SAT Math
25th: 38048575th: 480
ACT Composite
25th: 172075th: 23

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
+$412k
+$15k
-$73k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$379k
-$17k
-$105k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$347k
-$50k
-$138k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$9k/yr
Never
-323%
Full Cost$18k/yr
Never
-212%
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-263%

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-105%
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

Associate's Degrees

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$20,371
Earnings (5yr)
$72,166
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,376
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$51,130
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,954
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$21,198
Earnings (5yr)
$50,877
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,061
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$269k
Graphic Communications
BachCIP: 1003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$27,511
Lifetime Value Added
-$262k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,674
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$18,240
Earnings (5yr)
$46,014
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,487
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,626
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1508
Median Debt
$19,279
Earnings (5yr)
$81,681
Lifetime Value Added
+$174k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$19,125
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$228k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,494
Earnings (5yr)
$39,548
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$297k
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1507
Median Debt
$25,527
Earnings (5yr)
$99,003
Lifetime Value Added
+$304k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,230
Earnings (5yr)
$85,013
Lifetime Value Added
+$199k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,585
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k

Master's Degrees

Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$17,850
Earnings (2yr)
$40,461
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$31,328
Earnings (5yr)
$52,431
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k

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.