College ROI

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Fairmont State University

Fairmont, WV 2,590 Undergrads 54.4% Grad Rate
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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: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$52,884
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$46,857
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate54.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.0
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
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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, 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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,773
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,371
Earnings (4yr)
$77,343
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$285k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,302
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
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
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,102
Natl Median: $76,549
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,384
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,738
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,198
Earnings (4yr)
$49,055
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,784
Natl Median: $43,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,280
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Median Debt
$18,896
Earnings (4yr)
$71,751
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
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
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
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
Median Debt
$25,527
Earnings (4yr)
$74,806
Natl Median: $86,525
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Median Debt
$24,230
Earnings (4yr)
$86,071
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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

Median Debt
$23,636
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,850
Earnings (4yr)
$61,021
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
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 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.