College ROI

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Furman University

Greenville, SC 2,379 Undergrads 83.1% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$79,231
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$31,764
After Aid
Median Earnings
$70,215
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$31,764
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$70,215
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$70,201
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate83.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.0
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients14.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
43.0%
SAT Avg
1,371
SAT Reading
25th: 65067575th: 720
SAT Math
25th: 61065675th: 710
ACT Composite
25th: 283175th: 32

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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$609k
+$139k
+$122k
Median Cost$32k/yr
+$495k
+$24k
+$8k
Full Cost$79k/yr
+$324k
-$146k
-$163k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$32k/yr
59
7%
Full Cost$79k/yr
Never
-57%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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-18%

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-71%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$97,744
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$214k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,424
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$73,099
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$64,014
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$124,717
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$415k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$22,608
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,025
Earnings (4yr)
$61,904
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$15,250
Earnings (4yr)
$52,225
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,467
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,476
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,125
Earnings (4yr)
$57,264
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
-$271k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,280
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$310k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,887
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,723
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$40,889
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,487
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$243k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,709
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.