College ROI

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Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw, GA 41,254 Undergrads 52.6% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$25,668
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,325
After Aid
Median Earnings
$69,273
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,325
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$69,273
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$62,766
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate52.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)22.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time75.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
69.2%
SAT Avg
1,113
SAT Reading
25th: 51057075th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 49054075th: 600
ACT Composite
25th: 192275th: 26

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
+$602k
+$132k
+$115k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$543k
+$73k
+$57k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$509k
+$39k
+$23k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
41
96%
Full Cost$26k/yr
51
25%
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 Return140%

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-14%

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 →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$24,228
Earnings (4yr)
$77,710
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$19,972
Earnings (4yr)
$47,179
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$29,750
Earnings (4yr)
$70,752
Natl Median: $66,914
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,054
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,615
Earnings (4yr)
$57,435
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,708
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Median Debt
$20,234
Earnings (4yr)
$71,736
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$23,166
Earnings (4yr)
$56,784
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$18,079
Earnings (4yr)
$83,012
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$172k
Median Debt
$21,592
Earnings (4yr)
$83,249
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$174k
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$103,054
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$325k
Median Debt
$23,961
Earnings (4yr)
$67,437
Natl Median: $83,439
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$96,481
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$275k
Median Debt
$22,648
Earnings (4yr)
$95,958
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$271k
Median Debt
$21,295
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$93,910
Natl Median: $95,124
Lifetime Value Added
+$255k
Median Debt
$18,531
Earnings (4yr)
$55,033
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
$18,243
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,291
Earnings (4yr)
$38,348
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Median Debt
$23,336
Earnings (4yr)
$96,935
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$278k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$91,329
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
$24,177
Earnings (4yr)
$89,729
Natl Median: $80,526
Lifetime Value Added
+$223k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,619
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (4yr)
$50,587
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Median Debt
$15,896
Earnings (2yr)
$42,123
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,171
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$81,002
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$157k
Median Debt
$22,906
Earnings (4yr)
$47,221
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,147
Natl Median: $75,399
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,044
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (4yr)
$43,954
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,957
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Median Debt
$23,437
Earnings (4yr)
$47,540
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,417
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$84,364
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k
Median Debt
$23,483
Earnings (4yr)
$78,523
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Median Debt
$23,937
Earnings (4yr)
$60,031
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$22,081
Earnings (4yr)
$54,360
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$72,089
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,833
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$83,083
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$88,860
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$217k
Median Debt
$24,259
Earnings (4yr)
$54,915
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,210
Earnings (5yr)
$32,871
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$243k
Median Debt
$25,177
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$61,971
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,567
Earnings (4yr)
$50,645
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$23,306
Earnings (4yr)
$61,665
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Median Debt
$19,950
Earnings (4yr)
$64,501
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$47,723
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$87,935
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$24,081
Earnings (4yr)
$52,125
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$20,449
Earnings (4yr)
$55,897
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Systems Engineering
BachCIP: 1427
Median Debt
$21,260
Earnings (4yr)
$89,696
Natl Median: $105,185
Lifetime Value Added
+$223k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$51,386
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Median Debt
$22,396
Earnings (4yr)
$52,657
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (5yr)
$51,000
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$102,127
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$230k
Area Studies
MastCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,936
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$35,750
Earnings (4yr)
$133,753
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$504k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$35,750
Earnings (4yr)
$106,491
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$268k
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$134,232
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
+$509k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$117,931
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$368k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,166
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,490
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$70,302
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
MastCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $111,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (2yr)
$71,015
Natl Median: $112,705
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,132
Natl Median: $95,627
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,441
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,455
Natl Median: $70,267
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,462
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$123,113
Natl Median: $103,349
Lifetime Value Added
+$413k
Median Debt
$29,117
Earnings (4yr)
$123,603
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$417k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,762
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$38,059
Earnings (4yr)
$59,764
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,016
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$100,810
Natl Median: $123,816
Lifetime Value Added
+$218k
Systems Engineering
MastCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$108,404
Natl Median: $144,565
Lifetime Value Added
+$285k
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,371
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,105
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$113,759
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
+$172k
Median Debt
$29,543
Earnings (2yr)
$66,821
Natl Median: $83,031
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Median Debt
$39,000
Earnings (4yr)
$105,134
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Median Debt
$34,000
Earnings (4yr)
$82,741
Natl Median: $89,809
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$37,000
Earnings (4yr)
$98,046
Natl Median: $81,822
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k

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.