College ROI

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Lander University

Greenwood, SC 3,397 Undergrads 52.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$27,277
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,363
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,003
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,363
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$47,003
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$42,396
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate52.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients42.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS65.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
81.3%
SAT Avg
1,057
SAT Reading
25th: 49053575th: 608
SAT Math
25th: 46051575th: 570
ACT Composite
25th: 162175th: 23

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
+$428k
-$38k
-$56k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$373k
-$94k
-$111k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$330k
-$137k
-$154k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-201%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-157%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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-180%

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-96%
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

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,583
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$26,600
Earnings (4yr)
$51,767
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Median Debt
$25,191
Earnings (4yr)
$52,512
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,568
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,027
Earnings (4yr)
$36,568
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$201k
Median Debt
$26,437
Earnings (4yr)
$40,202
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (4yr)
$41,783
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Median Debt
$25,066
Earnings (4yr)
$39,428
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,391
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,079
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,110
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Median Debt
$26,609
Earnings (4yr)
$75,458
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,287
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,997
Earnings (4yr)
$43,098
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,637
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Homeland Security
MastCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,004
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k

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.