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Fairmont State University
Fairmont, WV 2,590 Undergrads 54.4% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$20,018
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,032
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,884
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$9,032
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$52,884
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate54.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients38.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS68.0%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
98.6%
SAT Avg
996
SAT Reading
25th: 45051075th: 560
SAT Math
25th: 36048575th: 510
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
+$478k
+$11k
-$7k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$445k
-$22k
-$39k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$406k
-$61k
-$79k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$9k/yr
Never
-121%
Full Cost$20k/yr
Never
-109%
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-91%
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-67%
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
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1508
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,773
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$20,371
Earnings (4yr)
$77,343
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$285k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,302
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,320
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,968
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,102
Natl Median: $76,549
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
BachCIP: 0999
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,384
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$17,738
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$21,198
Earnings (4yr)
$49,055
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$46,625
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Graphic Communications
BachCIP: 1003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,784
Natl Median: $43,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,376
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$28,802
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$246k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,280
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$18,896
Earnings (4yr)
$71,751
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,343
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1508
Median Debt
$19,279
Earnings (4yr)
$75,569
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$19,125
Earnings (4yr)
$54,360
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,494
Earnings (4yr)
$46,235
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,087
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$297k
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1507
Median Debt
$25,527
Earnings (4yr)
$74,806
Natl Median: $86,525
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,230
Earnings (4yr)
$86,071
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Security Science and Technology
BachCIP: 4304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,585
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$18,240
Earnings (4yr)
$48,858
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$23,636
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$17,850
Earnings (4yr)
$61,021
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$31,328
Earnings (4yr)
$50,914
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.