College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Indiana University-South Bend

South Bend, IN 3,807 Undergrads 39.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$15,984
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$8,364
After Aid
Median Earnings
$44,947
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$8,364
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$44,947
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate39.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients42.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time78.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS70.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
86.0%
SAT Avg
1,072
SAT Reading
25th: 49055075th: 590
SAT Math
25th: 48053575th: 580
ACT Composite
25th: 212175th: 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
+$396k
-$387
-$88k
Median Cost$8k/yr
+$366k
-$30k
-$118k
Full Cost$16k/yr
+$339k
-$58k
-$146k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$8k/yr
Never
-393%
Full Cost$16k/yr
Never
-254%
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-331%

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-115%
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
$23,449
Earnings (5yr)
$50,867
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$19,949
Earnings (5yr)
$61,268
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,585
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,625
Lifetime Value Added
+$251k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,363
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$51,812
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$23,676
Earnings (2yr)
$22,192
Lifetime Value Added
-$294k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$296k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$20,444
Earnings (5yr)
$40,789
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,071
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,793
Earnings (5yr)
$48,511
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,468
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$18,905
Earnings (5yr)
$74,449
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$232k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,547
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$21,929
Earnings (5yr)
$47,530
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$25,784
Earnings (5yr)
$48,355
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k

Master's Degrees

Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$115,421
Lifetime Value Added
+$556k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$37,451
Earnings (5yr)
$109,418
Lifetime Value Added
+$505k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$31,271
Earnings (5yr)
$61,906
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k

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.