College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Harris-Stowe State University

Saint Louis, MO 960 Undergrads 25.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$21,493
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,922
After Aid
Median Earnings
$46,752
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$9,922
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (10yr)$46,752
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate25.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients73.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time87.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS44.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$420k
-$40k
-$57k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$385k
-$76k
-$93k
Full Cost$21k/yr
+$343k
-$117k
-$135k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-260%
Full Cost$21k/yr
Never
-174%
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-204%

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-97%
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
$29,608
Earnings (4yr)
$50,792
Nat: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Biological and Physical Sciences
BachCIP: 3001
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,625
Earnings (4yr)
$48,694
Nat: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$24,150
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Nat: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$265k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$27,830
Earnings (4yr)
$49,010
Nat: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$34,500
Earnings (4yr)
$40,247
Nat: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,868
Nat: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$24,545
Earnings
-
Nat: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sustainability Studies
BachCIP: 3033
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $57,887
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Urban Studies/Affairs
BachCIP: 4512
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $62,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.