College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Illinois College

Jacksonville, IL 925 Undergrads 66.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$47,337
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,945
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,575
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$17,945
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$52,575
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate66.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients38.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
74.7%
SAT Avg
1,082
SAT Reading
25th: 49053575th: 583
SAT Math
25th: 48851575th: 600
ACT Composite
25th: 192175th: 25

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
+$458k
+$62k
-$26k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$393k
-$3k
-$91k
Full Cost$47k/yr
+$288k
-$109k
-$197k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-141%
Full Cost$47k/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-116%

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-91%
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
$26,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,868
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$26,533
Earnings (5yr)
$57,530
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,083
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,970
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,420
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k

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.