Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte, NC 1,244 Undergrads 42.8% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$34,923

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$20,894

After Aid

Median Earnings

$46,511

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$20,894

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$46,511

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate42.8%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients69.3%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time96.9%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS52.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

45.2%

SAT Avg

SAT Reading

25th: --75th: -

SAT Math

25th: --75th: -

ACT Composite

25th: --75th: -

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

+$424k

-$43k

-$60k

Median Cost$21k/yr

+$349k

-$118k

-$135k

Full Cost$35k/yr

+$299k

-$168k

-$186k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

Never

-∞

Median Cost$21k/yr

Never

-180%

Full Cost$35k/yr

Never

-148%

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-168%

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-99%

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

$26,000

Earnings (4yr)

$42,595

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

-$169k

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$31,742

Earnings (4yr)

$51,371

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

-$95k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

$31,000

Earnings (4yr)

$40,600

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

-$186k

Computer and Information Sciences, General

BachCIP: 1101

Median Debt

$29,500

Earnings (5yr)

$60,754

Natl Median: $92,374

Lifetime Value Added

-$27k

Computer Engineering

BachCIP: 1409

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $109,015

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminology

BachCIP: 4504

Median Debt

$30,500

Earnings (4yr)

$46,215

Natl Median: $55,556

Lifetime Value Added

-$138k

Dance

BachCIP: 5003

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,980

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$30,500

Earnings (4yr)

$38,941

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

-$200k

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

BachCIP: 5115

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $52,119

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$31,000

Earnings (5yr)

$39,952

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$198k

Social Work

BachCIP: 4407

Median Debt

$32,889

Earnings (5yr)

$43,956

Natl Median: $51,790

Lifetime Value Added

-$164k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

BachCIP: 3105

Median Debt

$28,750

Earnings (4yr)

$44,678

Natl Median: $54,562

Lifetime Value Added

-$151k

Visual and Performing Arts, General

BachCIP: 5001

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,688

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Master's Degrees

Social Work

MastCIP: 4407

Median Debt

$41,000

Earnings (4yr)

$61,497

Natl Median: $65,123

Lifetime Value Added

-$137k

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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.