College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Lander University

Greenwood, SC 3,384 Undergrads 53.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$26,069
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,501
After Aid
Median Earnings
$42,396
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,501
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$42,396
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate53.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS65.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
67.9%
SAT Avg
1,057
SAT Reading
25th: 49053575th: 590
SAT Math
25th: 47051575th: 570
ACT Composite
25th: 172175th: 24

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
+$375k
-$21k
-$109k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$323k
-$74k
-$162k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$281k
-$115k
-$203k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-310%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-217%
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-279%

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-118%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,191
Earnings (5yr)
$51,426
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,027
Earnings (2yr)
$22,329
Lifetime Value Added
-$315k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$26,437
Earnings (5yr)
$34,415
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,997
Earnings (5yr)
$41,247
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (5yr)
$43,979
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$25,066
Earnings (5yr)
$39,448
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,391
Lifetime Value Added
-$223k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$38,866
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$26,609
Earnings (5yr)
$70,405
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,898
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$40,438
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k

Master's Degrees

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,340
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k

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.