College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Hollins University

Roanoke, VA 673 Undergrads 61.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$57,481
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,263
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,075
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,263
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$40,075
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate61.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS49.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
70.9%
SAT Avg
1,256
SAT Reading
25th: 550-75th: 710
SAT Math
25th: 550-75th: 620
ACT Composite
25th: 23-75th: 29

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
+$356k
-$41k
-$129k
Median Cost$22k/yr
+$276k
-$121k
-$209k
Full Cost$57k/yr
+$149k
-$247k
-$335k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$22k/yr
Never
-260%
Full Cost$57k/yr
Never
-162%
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-197%

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-111%
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

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$37,329
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$33,412
Lifetime Value Added
-$259k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$26,739
Lifetime Value Added
-$302k

Master's Degrees

Dance
MastCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,529
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k

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.