College ROI

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Georgia Southwestern State University

Americus, GA 2,424 Undergrads 42.2% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$18,893
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,170
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,864
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,170
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$56,864
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$55,890
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate42.2%
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 Age24.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients54.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time74.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS70.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
75.2%
SAT Avg
978
SAT Reading
25th: 46056075th: 570
SAT Math
25th: 43052075th: 540
ACT Composite
25th: 162175th: 22

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
+$504k
+$34k
+$17k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$467k
-$3k
-$19k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$436k
-$34k
-$51k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
48
∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-53%
Full Cost$19k/yr
Never
-75%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ 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

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-30%

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-51%

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
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$63,928
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (4yr)
$65,514
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,043
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,358
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Median Debt
$23,709
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$320k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$320k
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
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,880
Earnings (4yr)
$64,973
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,176
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,446
Earnings (4yr)
$39,403
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$80,811
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,457
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,125
Earnings (4yr)
$48,001
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,407
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$16,137
Earnings (4yr)
$83,019
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,675
Earnings (4yr)
$109,617
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$307k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,507
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Median Debt
$21,620
Earnings (4yr)
$65,670
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,616
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k

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.