College ROI

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Johnson & Wales University-Providence

Providence, RI 3,868 Undergrads 58.4% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$62,760
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$29,952
After Aid
Median Earnings
$54,010
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$29,952
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$54,010
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$53,928
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate58.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.0
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS67.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
88.4%
SAT Avg
1,050
SAT Reading
25th: 460-75th: 590
SAT Math
25th: 430-75th: 570
ACT Composite
25th: 22-75th: 27

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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$480k
+$10k
-$6k
Median Cost$30k/yr
+$373k
-$98k
-$114k
Full Cost$63k/yr
+$255k
-$216k
-$232k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$30k/yr
Never
-106%
Full Cost$63k/yr
Never
-103%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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-97%

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-90%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Associate's Degrees

Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205

Earnings shared by 3 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$42,395
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203

Earnings shared by 3 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,476
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,871
Natl Median: $40,334
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,588
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202

Earnings shared by 3 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,186
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,967
Natl Median: $50,523
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901

Earnings shared by 3 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,247
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$95,371
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$217k
Computer Software and Media Applications
BachCIP: 1108

Earnings shared by 2 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,374
Natl Median: $58,894
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$85,387
Natl Median: $73,587
Lifetime Value Added
+$141k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301

Earnings shared by 2 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,632
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
BachCIP: 1205

Earnings shared by 2 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,056
Natl Median: $47,668
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Engineering, Other
BachCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Natl Median: $93,989
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
BachCIP: 5207

Earnings shared by 3 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,042
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208

Earnings shared by 2 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,152
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1905

Earnings shared by 3 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,571
Natl Median: $54,945
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Homeland Security
BachCIP: 4303
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,193
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209

Earnings shared by 3 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,790
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210

Earnings shared by 2 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$37,500
Earnings (4yr)
$79,056
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211

Earnings shared by 2 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$27,882
Earnings (4yr)
$61,380
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214

Earnings shared by 3 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,321
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,649
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management
BachCIP: 3103

Earnings shared by 3 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,241
Natl Median: $50,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909

Earnings shared by 2 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$77,025
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations
BachCIP: 5219

Earnings shared by 3 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,539
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$129,350
Earnings (4yr)
$136,683
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$505k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202

Earnings shared by 2 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,821
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $121,855
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$352k
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,003
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,856
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210

Earnings shared by 2 Johnson & Wales University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$69,995
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Median Debt
$46,830
Earnings (4yr)
$66,809
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,328
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$59,891
Earnings (4yr)
$123,957
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k

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.