College ROI

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Lees-McRae College

Banner Elk, NC 873 Undergrads 61.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$53,853
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$28,253
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,130
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$28,253
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$53,130
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$52,058
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate61.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)25.2
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 Recipients42.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS68.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
76.8%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$473k
+$3k
-$13k
Median Cost$28k/yr
+$371k
-$99k
-$115k
Full Cost$54k/yr
+$279k
-$191k
-$207k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$28k/yr
Never
-113%
Full Cost$54k/yr
Never
-107%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ 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

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-103%

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-89%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$55,663
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,108
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$377k
Median Debt
$15,000
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
$10,060
Earnings (4yr)
$43,273
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,161
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$87,523
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,581
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$211k
Median Debt
$11,750
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
$17,000
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.