College ROI

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Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 1,184 Undergrads 53.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$58,022
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$27,426
After Aid
Median Earnings
$54,530
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$27,426
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$54,530
Peer Midpoint: $50,128
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+26%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$43,418
Peer Midpoint: $40,451
Graduation Rate53.7%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Average Starting Age21.0
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients52.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS60.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
79.9%
SAT Avg
1,007
SAT Reading
25th: 450-75th: 570
SAT Math
25th: 430-75th: 560
ACT Composite
25th: 16-75th: 23

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)
⚠️ 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
+$577k
+$61k
+$92k
Median Cost$27k/yr
+$526k
+$11k
+$42k
Full Cost$58k/yr
+$470k
-$46k
-$14k

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
27
Median Cost$27k/yr
38
83%
Full Cost$58k/yr
Never
-14%
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 Return68%

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-51%
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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Associate's Degrees

Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
$14,167
Earnings (4yr)
$42,395
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$26,229
Earnings (4yr)
$73,476
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,186
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$23,786
Earnings (4yr)
$51,247
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
BachCIP: 1205
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,056
Natl Median: $47,668
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
BachCIP: 5207
Median Debt
$25,125
Earnings (4yr)
$47,042
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1905
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,571
Natl Median: $54,945
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$25,768
Earnings (4yr)
$55,790
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,100
Earnings (4yr)
$64,321
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management
BachCIP: 3103
Median Debt
$26,100
Earnings (4yr)
$56,241
Natl Median: $50,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations
BachCIP: 5219
Median Debt
$26,982
Earnings (4yr)
$53,539
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$34,341
Earnings (4yr)
$73,821
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k

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.