College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, IL 1,570 Undergrads 82.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$68,399
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$29,550
After Aid
Median Earnings
$70,871
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$29,550
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$70,871
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate82.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
45.2%
SAT Avg
1,242
SAT Reading
25th: 57062575th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 57058575th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 242775th: 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
+$599k
+$203k
+$115k
Median Cost$30k/yr
+$493k
+$97k
+$9k
Full Cost$68k/yr
+$353k
-$43k
-$131k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$30k/yr
58
8%
Full Cost$68k/yr
Never
-53%
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-9%

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-67%
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
$26,967
Earnings (5yr)
$96,598
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,129
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,495
Earnings (5yr)
$83,724
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$30,435
Lifetime Value Added
-$310k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$92,056
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,426
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$102,441
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,356
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,045
Lifetime Value Added
-$245k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,141
Lifetime Value Added
-$243k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,402
Earnings (5yr)
$57,514
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$80,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Lifetime Value Added
-$381k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,988
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k

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.