College ROI

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Lee University

Cleveland, TN 2,617 Undergrads 55.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$35,688
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,878
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,559
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,878
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$47,559
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$43,222
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate55.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age23.3
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients32.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS64.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
70.5%
SAT Avg
1,145
SAT Reading
25th: 54056575th: 630
SAT Math
25th: 50055075th: 600
ACT Composite
25th: 202475th: 27

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
+$433k
-$34k
-$51k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$365k
-$102k
-$119k
Full Cost$36k/yr
+$305k
-$162k
-$180k

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
Never
-∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-176%
Full Cost$36k/yr
Never
-140%
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 Return-155%

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-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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (4yr)
$79,208
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,739
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$290k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,671
Natl Median: $44,533
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,788
Earnings (4yr)
$59,274
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,095
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$304k
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$27,750
Earnings (4yr)
$42,329
Natl Median: $49,113
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$39,009
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Median Debt
$28,448
Earnings (4yr)
$39,988
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,535
Earnings (4yr)
$41,162
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,759
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,096
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,668
Earnings (4yr)
$54,203
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,103
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,203
Earnings (4yr)
$35,702
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
Median Debt
$25,875
Earnings (4yr)
$45,844
Natl Median: $42,915
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$46,719
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,882
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Median Debt
$26,725
Earnings (4yr)
$43,241
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Median Debt
$24,997
Earnings (4yr)
$70,388
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Religious Education
BachCIP: 3904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,633
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Religious Music and Worship
BachCIP: 3905
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,456
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$24,208
Earnings (4yr)
$44,193
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,999
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$210k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$45,221
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (4yr)
$48,382
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Median Debt
$29,625
Earnings (4yr)
$46,573
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,259
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,791
Natl Median: $44,535
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,566
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,028
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,950
Earnings (4yr)
$66,769
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Median Debt
$42,100
Earnings (4yr)
$50,249
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$239k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,087
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,024
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Religious Music and Worship
MastCIP: 3905
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,264
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,216
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$36,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,116
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
Median Debt
$34,120
Earnings (4yr)
$54,167
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,697
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k

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.