College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Gallaudet University

Washington, DC 879 Undergrads 60.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$39,416
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,085
After Aid
Median Earnings
$43,101
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,085
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$43,101
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate60.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients55.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS62.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
60.9%
SAT Avg
857
SAT Reading
25th: 37048475th: 463
SAT Math
25th: 38047875th: 470
ACT Composite
25th: 141775th: 18

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
+$381k
-$16k
-$104k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$330k
-$66k
-$154k
Full Cost$39k/yr
+$239k
-$157k
-$245k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-304%
Full Cost$39k/yr
Never
-173%
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-211%

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-110%
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

American Sign Language
BachCIP: 1616
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,251
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$287k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$20,409
Earnings (5yr)
$48,417
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,055
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$13,100
Earnings (5yr)
$30,754
Lifetime Value Added
-$252k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$18,935
Earnings (5yr)
$49,663
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k

Master's Degrees

American Sign Language
MastCIP: 1616
Median Debt
$29,470
Earnings (5yr)
$70,823
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,193
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$63,242
Earnings (5yr)
$79,796
Lifetime Value Added
+$240k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$34,922
Earnings (5yr)
$60,356
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k

Doctoral Degrees

Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
DocCIP: 5102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$77,213
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k

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.