College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Keystone College

La Plume, PA 870 Undergrads 46.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$31,742
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,461
After Aid
Median Earnings
$44,976
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$21,461
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$44,976
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate46.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients55.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time82.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS63.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
79.6%
SAT Avg
1,030
SAT Reading
25th: 46052075th: 570
SAT Math
25th: 45052575th: 560
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
+$396k
-$150
-$88k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$319k
-$77k
-$165k
Full Cost$32k/yr
+$282k
-$114k
-$202k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
Never
-214%
Full Cost$32k/yr
Never
-177%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year 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-216%

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-108%
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

Associate's Degrees

Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,559
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$26,013
Earnings (5yr)
$55,091
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,377
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,050
Earnings (5yr)
$49,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
BachCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$38,332
Lifetime Value Added
-$214k
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
BachCIP: 0999
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,764
Lifetime Value Added
-$219k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,443
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$336k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$29,819
Earnings (5yr)
$36,865
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$40,406
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
Social Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 4599
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,108
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$194k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, 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 should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.