College ROI

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Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw, GA 41,254 Undergrads 51.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$24,008
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,048
After Aid
Median Earnings
$68,306
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,048
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$68,306
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$57,552
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate51.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients37.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time75.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
69.2%
SAT Avg
1,113
SAT Reading
25th: 51058075th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 49057075th: 600
ACT Composite
25th: 192375th: 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)
⚠️ 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
+$601k
+$134k
+$116k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$547k
+$80k
+$62k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$514k
+$48k
+$30k

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
31
∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
40
115%
Full Cost$24k/yr
49
35%
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 Return163%

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-4%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$24,892
Earnings (4yr)
$77,710
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,179
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,752
Natl Median: $66,914
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,625
Earnings (4yr)
$59,054
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,968
Earnings (4yr)
$57,435
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,708
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (4yr)
$71,736
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$19,901
Earnings (4yr)
$56,784
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,549
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$24,493
Earnings (4yr)
$83,012
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Median Debt
$26,988
Earnings (4yr)
$59,675
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Median Debt
$24,976
Earnings (4yr)
$83,249
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,243
Natl Median: $83,742
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$103,054
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$328k
Median Debt
$24,862
Earnings (4yr)
$67,437
Natl Median: $83,439
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$20,125
Earnings (4yr)
$96,481
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$278k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$95,958
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$274k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$93,910
Natl Median: $95,124
Lifetime Value Added
+$258k
Median Debt
$21,128
Earnings (4yr)
$55,033
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
$21,842
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,755
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Median Debt
$24,980
Earnings (4yr)
$38,348
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Median Debt
$26,041
Earnings (4yr)
$96,935
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$281k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
$29,375
Earnings (4yr)
$91,329
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
+$238k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
$28,801
Earnings (4yr)
$89,729
Natl Median: $80,526
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,619
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,842
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,562
Earnings (4yr)
$50,587
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,143
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,171
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,125
Earnings (4yr)
$78,034
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
+$137k
Median Debt
$24,355
Earnings (4yr)
$81,002
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$159k
Median Debt
$22,312
Earnings (4yr)
$47,221
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,832
Natl Median: $50,580
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Median Debt
$19,375
Earnings (4yr)
$79,147
Natl Median: $75,399
Lifetime Value Added
+$145k
Median Debt
$35,625
Earnings (4yr)
$53,044
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,954
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,957
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Median Debt
$26,955
Earnings (4yr)
$47,540
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,417
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Median Debt
$23,877
Earnings (4yr)
$84,364
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$185k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$78,523
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$60,031
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$21,506
Earnings (4yr)
$54,360
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$22,211
Earnings (4yr)
$72,089
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,833
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$83,083
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Median Debt
$24,962
Earnings (4yr)
$88,860
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Median Debt
$24,340
Earnings (4yr)
$54,915
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$24,200
Earnings (5yr)
$29,106
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$270k
Median Debt
-
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
$23,850
Earnings (4yr)
$61,971
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,645
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (4yr)
$61,665
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Median Debt
$22,660
Earnings (4yr)
$64,501
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,723
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$87,935
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$27,250
Earnings (4yr)
$52,125
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,091
Earnings (4yr)
$55,897
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Systems Engineering
BachCIP: 1427
Median Debt
$21,571
Earnings (4yr)
$89,696
Natl Median: $105,185
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,386
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Median Debt
$24,357
Earnings (4yr)
$52,657
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,436
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$102,127
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$231k
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
$40,225
Earnings (4yr)
$133,753
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$506k
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
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,078
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$106,491
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$269k
Median Debt
$35,556
Earnings (4yr)
$134,232
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
+$510k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$117,931
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$369k
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
$36,750
Earnings (4yr)
$70,490
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Median Debt
$33,950
Earnings (4yr)
$70,302
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
MastCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $111,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering, Other
MastCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$71,015
Natl Median: $112,705
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,132
Natl Median: $95,627
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$40,668
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,441
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$57,455
Natl Median: $70,267
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Median Debt
$38,500
Earnings (4yr)
$63,462
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$123,113
Natl Median: $103,349
Lifetime Value Added
+$414k
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$123,603
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$418k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,762
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,764
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,016
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$100,810
Natl Median: $123,816
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
Systems Engineering
MastCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$108,404
Natl Median: $144,565
Lifetime Value Added
+$286k
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (4yr)
$63,371
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
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
-$214k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$132,957
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
+$264k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$66,821
Natl Median: $83,031
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$105,134
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$82,741
Natl Median: $89,809
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,813
Earnings (4yr)
$98,046
Natl Median: $81,822
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k

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.