College ROI

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Francis Marion University

Florence, SC 2,628 Undergrads 45.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$23,850
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,386
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,141
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,386
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$52,141
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$43,888
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate45.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age21.2
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients52.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS62.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
86.4%
SAT Avg
1,015
SAT Reading
25th: 45052075th: 575
SAT Math
25th: 42050575th: 540
ACT Composite
25th: 161975th: 24

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
+$471k
+$5k
-$13k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$430k
-$36k
-$54k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$386k
-$81k
-$99k

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$11k/yr
Never
-132%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-115%
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-105%

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-76%
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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,557
Earnings (4yr)
$58,797
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$664
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,447
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Median Debt
$28,250
Earnings (4yr)
$51,522
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$277k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other
BachCIP: 1599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,678
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,632
Earnings (4yr)
$40,098
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$29,602
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$247k
Median Debt
$30,231
Earnings (4yr)
$51,005
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,946
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$39,981
Earnings (5yr)
$36,408
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$194k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,948
Earnings (4yr)
$41,125
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,803
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (4yr)
$37,288
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$72,580
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$36,995
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Median Debt
$28,780
Earnings (4yr)
$40,933
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$108,339
Earnings (4yr)
$132,620
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$503k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$90,104
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,391
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,487
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$119,820
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$392k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,581
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k

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.