College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Francis Marion University

Florence, SC 2,640 Undergrads 46.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$22,944
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,451
After Aid
Median Earnings
$43,888
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,451
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$43,888
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate46.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients53.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS62.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
82.2%
SAT Avg
1,039
SAT Reading
25th: 47052075th: 590
SAT Math
25th: 43050575th: 548
ACT Composite
25th: 171975th: 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
+$387k
-$9k
-$97k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$339k
-$57k
-$145k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$305k
-$92k
-$180k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-300%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-218%
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-278%

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-115%
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
$20,557
Earnings (5yr)
$50,748
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$28,250
Earnings (5yr)
$43,700
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$284k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$30,632
Earnings (5yr)
$37,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,946
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$39,981
Earnings (5yr)
$36,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$201k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,948
Earnings (5yr)
$41,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$253k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,112
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$77,480
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (5yr)
$39,185
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$28,780
Earnings (5yr)
$40,664
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k

Master's Degrees

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$122,003
Lifetime Value Added
+$603k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,526
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k

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.