College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Grambling State University

Grambling, LA 4,144 Undergrads 36.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$25,100
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,125
After Aid
Median Earnings
$41,109
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,125
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$41,109
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate36.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients73.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time89.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS40.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
23.7%
SAT Avg
955
SAT Reading
25th: 45047175th: 590
SAT Math
25th: 41046075th: 560
ACT Composite
25th: 151775th: 19

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
+$364k
-$32k
-$120k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$296k
-$101k
-$189k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$274k
-$122k
-$210k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-274%
Full Cost$25k/yr
Never
-233%
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-305%

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-123%
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
$34,378
Earnings (5yr)
$49,720
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,785
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$34,000
Earnings (5yr)
$33,761
Lifetime Value Added
-$244k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$31,750
Earnings (5yr)
$35,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$228k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$34,528
Earnings (5yr)
$39,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
Engineering Technology, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
$35,750
Earnings (2yr)
$40,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$30,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
BachCIP: 3101
Median Debt
$34,750
Earnings (5yr)
$36,507
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$35,000
Earnings (5yr)
$38,577
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$68,219
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$40,756
Earnings (5yr)
$36,809
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$36,000
Earnings (5yr)
$40,481
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Visual and Performing Arts, Other
BachCIP: 5099
Median Debt
$43,000
Earnings (2yr)
$9,375
Lifetime Value Added
-$455k

Master's Degrees

Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$64,461
Earnings (5yr)
$46,911
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$43,432
Earnings (5yr)
$48,749
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$73,228
Earnings (5yr)
$51,082
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$118,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$566k
Social Sciences, General
MastCIP: 4501
Median Debt
$55,234
Earnings (5yr)
$51,195
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$53,248
Earnings (5yr)
$48,678
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k

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.