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Lenoir-Rhyne University
Hickory, NC 1,359 Undergrads 50.8% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$44,621
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$20,689
After Aid
Median Earnings
$57,711
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$20,689
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (10yr)$57,711
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate50.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.8%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
84.6%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
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
+$510k
+$50k
+$33k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$436k
-$24k
-$41k
Full Cost$45k/yr
+$350k
-$110k
-$128k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
42
∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
Never
-56%
Full Cost$45k/yr
Never
-79%
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-54%
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-76%
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
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings
-
Nat: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $80,526
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
BachCIP: 5207
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Services, General
BachCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings
-
Nat: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$26,855
Earnings
-
Nat: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,585
Earnings
-
Nat: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$78,839
Nat: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,609
Nat: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,131
Nat: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Master's Degrees
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$118,944
Earnings (4yr)
$111,305
Nat: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$501k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$30,164
Earnings (4yr)
$72,784
Nat: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
MastCIP: 5207
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $97,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Services, General
MastCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$33,755
Earnings (4yr)
$56,364
Nat: $57,050
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
MastCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$53,419
Earnings (4yr)
$56,560
Nat: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries
MastCIP: 3907
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $53,024
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$102,015
Nat: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$421k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$72,210
Earnings (4yr)
$70,612
Nat: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
+$151k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,235
Nat: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Sustainability Studies
MastCIP: 3033
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $76,897
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,919
Nat: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Theological and Ministerial Studies
MastCIP: 3906
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$95,302
Nat: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
+$364k
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.