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Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, IL 1,582 Undergrads 81.9% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$70,700
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$28,199
After Aid
Median Earnings
$69,265
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$28,199
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$69,265Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$70,871Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate81.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.4
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.2%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
39.3%
SAT Avg
1,275
SAT Reading
25th: 55062575th: 670
SAT Math
25th: 57058575th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 252775th: 30
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
+$608k
+$141k
+$124k
Median Cost$28k/yr
+$507k
+$40k
+$22k
Full Cost$71k/yr
+$354k
-$113k
-$131k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$28k/yr
52
22%
Full Cost$71k/yr
Never
-51%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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-5%
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-66%
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 (4yr)
$97,022
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$234k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,541
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,495
Earnings (4yr)
$71,088
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$31,172
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$294k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$92,056
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,426
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,107
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
BachCIP: 5207
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$101,609
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$269k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Literature
BachCIP: 2314
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,173
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,356
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,045
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$241k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,141
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$238k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,402
Earnings (4yr)
$57,839
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$84,527
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$376k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,988
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
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 (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), 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 decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.
Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.