College ROI

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Jackson State University

Jackson, MS 4,600 Undergrads 39.1% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$32,415
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,836
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,606
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,836
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$47,606
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$39,060
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate39.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age23.3
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients70.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS51.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
93.2%
SAT Avg
965
SAT Reading
25th: 43043075th: 550
SAT Math
25th: 39053075th: 520
ACT Composite
25th: 151875th: 20

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$433k
-$33k
-$51k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$348k
-$119k
-$137k
Full Cost$32k/yr
+$317k
-$150k
-$168k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-159%
Full Cost$32k/yr
Never
-144%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-160%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-95%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,996
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,997
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,532
Earnings (4yr)
$38,027
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,246
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (4yr)
$78,824
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Median Debt
$28,250
Earnings (4yr)
$46,472
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,320
Earnings (4yr)
$89,702
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$194k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$28,001
Earnings (4yr)
$90,577
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$201k
Median Debt
$29,267
Earnings (4yr)
$46,799
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$36,000
Earnings (4yr)
$36,481
Natl Median: $49,113
Lifetime Value Added
-$232k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$356k
Median Debt
$31,125
Earnings (4yr)
$45,707
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$37,959
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$35,070
Earnings (4yr)
$45,308
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,687
Earnings (4yr)
$52,107
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Median Debt
$27,585
Earnings (4yr)
$42,260
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,250
Earnings (4yr)
$49,299
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$28,350
Earnings (4yr)
$44,881
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$322k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$29,500
Earnings (4yr)
$41,566
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$322k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,747
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Median Debt
$25,823
Earnings (4yr)
$40,365
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$198k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,495
Earnings (4yr)
$33,213
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$260k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,254
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$39,564
Earnings (4yr)
$76,656
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,665
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,039
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,568
Natl Median: $63,968
Lifetime Value Added
-$357k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$76,460
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,974
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$415k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,878
Natl Median: $90,955
Lifetime Value Added
-$224k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$51,250
Earnings (4yr)
$57,970
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Median Debt
$68,880
Earnings (5yr)
$44,867
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$309k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,920
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$46,125
Earnings (2yr)
$46,087
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$270k
Median Debt
$71,750
Earnings (4yr)
$58,096
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Median Debt
$47,735
Earnings (4yr)
$46,522
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$284k
Median Debt
$51,250
Earnings (4yr)
$49,499
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$255k

Graduate Certificates

Education, General
Gr-CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$78,134
Earnings (4yr)
$51,856
Natl Median: $69,448
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,533
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$70,935
Earnings (4yr)
$70,684
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$210k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $87,076
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,464
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
DocCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $108,962
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
DocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Natl Median: $81,822
Lifetime Value Added
-$305k

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. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. 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.