College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Fort Valley State University

Fort Valley, GA 2,541 Undergrads 45.0% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$20,342
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,609
After Aid
Median Earnings
$36,666
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,609
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$36,666
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate45.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients73.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS48.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
62.8%
SAT Avg
864
SAT Reading
25th: 40044075th: 480
SAT Math
25th: 39544075th: 440
ACT Composite
25th: 161875th: 19

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
+$327k
-$69k
-$157k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$286k
-$111k
-$199k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$254k
-$142k
-$230k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-476%
Full Cost$20k/yr
Never
-314%
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-437%

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-145%
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)
$43,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,337
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,865
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$33,630
Earnings (5yr)
$65,087
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (5yr)
$39,776
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,871
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,011
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,151
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$37,250
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Lifetime Value Added
-$316k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$29,556
Earnings (5yr)
$37,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,104
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,929
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 0183
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$227k

Master's Degrees

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$73,173
Earnings (5yr)
$46,238
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$49,805
Earnings (5yr)
$57,067
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,944
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,713
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k

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.