College ROI

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Lees-McRae College

Banner Elk, NC 873 Undergrads 61.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$49,498
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$28,340
After Aid
Median Earnings
$50,979
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$28,340
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$50,979
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$43,415
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate61.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age25.2
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 Recipients37.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS69.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
76.8%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -59075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -55075th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2375th: -

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
+$462k
-$5k
-$23k
Median Cost$28k/yr
+$360k
-$107k
-$125k
Full Cost$49k/yr
+$284k
-$183k
-$201k

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$28k/yr
Never
-122%
Full Cost$49k/yr
Never
-113%
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-112%

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-90%
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,605
Earnings (4yr)
$60,108
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$376k
Median Debt
$14,050
Earnings (4yr)
$50,085
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,273
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,624
Earnings (4yr)
$44,161
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Median Debt
$19,339
Earnings (4yr)
$87,523
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,862
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$38,699
Natl Median: $44,055
Lifetime Value Added
-$229k

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.