College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Grand View University

Des Moines, IA 1,472 Undergrads 60.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$46,188
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,616
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,824
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$21,616
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$52,824
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate60.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients39.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
98.4%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -50075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -50075th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2075th: -

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
+$460k
+$64k
-$24k
Median Cost$22k/yr
+$382k
-$14k
-$102k
Full Cost$46k/yr
+$294k
-$103k
-$191k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$22k/yr
Never
-131%
Full Cost$46k/yr
Never
-115%
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-114%

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-90%
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
$24,698
Earnings (5yr)
$70,591
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$57,769
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (5yr)
$56,271
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,650
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$21,502
Earnings (5yr)
$53,635
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$22,807
Earnings (5yr)
$63,368
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,668
Lifetime Value Added
-$210k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,780
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$22,153
Earnings (5yr)
$80,108
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
Human Services, General
BachCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$45,288
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$51,137
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$22,019
Earnings (5yr)
$58,421
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,674
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (5yr)
$46,059
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$25,818
Earnings (5yr)
$49,602
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,440
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k

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.