College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Gonzaga University

Spokane, WA 5,098 Undergrads 86.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$69,290
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$36,371
After Aid
Median Earnings
$78,892
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$36,371
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$78,892
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate86.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients13.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS87.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
76.0%
SAT Avg
1,316
SAT Reading
25th: 62065075th: 710
SAT Math
25th: 60064575th: 700
ACT Composite
25th: 262975th: 31

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
+$658k
+$262k
+$174k
Median Cost$36k/yr
+$528k
+$131k
+$43k
Full Cost$69k/yr
+$409k
+$13k
-$75k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
Median Cost$36k/yr
47
33%
Full Cost$69k/yr
Never
-30%
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 Return34%

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-54%
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
$24,774
Earnings (5yr)
$96,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,788
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$92,893
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$85,891
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$114,331
Lifetime Value Added
+$320k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,837
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$21,488
Earnings (5yr)
$64,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$22,125
Earnings (5yr)
$93,627
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,624
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$101,957
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$57,102
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
BachCIP: 1414
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$367k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,052
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,880
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,461
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$86,247
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences
BachCIP: 2609
Median Debt
$24,625
Earnings (5yr)
$76,508
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$21,494
Earnings (5yr)
$71,779
Lifetime Value Added
+$1k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,829
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,987
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$96,703
Lifetime Value Added
+$188k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,125
Earnings (5yr)
$58,415
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,277
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$25,886
Earnings (5yr)
$99,130
Lifetime Value Added
+$365k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$34,912
Earnings (5yr)
$112,420
Lifetime Value Added
+$479k
Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$32,188
Earnings (5yr)
$93,949
Lifetime Value Added
+$321k
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
MastCIP: 0999
Median Debt
$36,711
Earnings (5yr)
$90,272
Lifetime Value Added
+$289k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$45,687
Earnings (2yr)
$55,693
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$31,125
Earnings (5yr)
$50,028
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$54,023
Earnings (5yr)
$131,616
Lifetime Value Added
+$642k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$74,932
Earnings (5yr)
$63,166
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$187,234
Lifetime Value Added
+$1210k

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$110,687
Earnings (5yr)
$89,280
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k

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.