College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Indiana University-Southeast

New Albany, IN 3,088 Undergrads 40.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$15,313
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$8,257
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,596
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$8,257
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$47,596
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate40.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time73.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS72.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
83.1%
SAT Avg
1,097
SAT Reading
25th: 51056075th: 610
SAT Math
25th: 50052575th: 580
ACT Composite
25th: 202375th: 26

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
+$418k
+$21k
-$67k
Median Cost$8k/yr
+$388k
-$8k
-$96k
Full Cost$15k/yr
+$363k
-$34k
-$122k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$8k/yr
Never
-324%
Full Cost$15k/yr
Never
-221%
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-274%

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-101%
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

Associate's Degrees

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,888
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k

Bachelor's Degrees

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,118
Earnings (5yr)
$56,280
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$18,400
Earnings (5yr)
$60,727
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$20,829
Earnings (5yr)
$45,563
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,067
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$107,483
Lifetime Value Added
+$370k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,326
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$24,388
Earnings (5yr)
$38,582
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$18,092
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$295k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,569
Lifetime Value Added
-$198k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,836
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,097
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$16,863
Earnings (5yr)
$77,840
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,106
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,308
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k

Master's Degrees

Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Lifetime Value Added
+$337k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,849
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,810
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k

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.