College ROI

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Lewis University

Romeoville, IL 4,015 Undergrads 67.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$47,313
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,028
After Aid
Median Earnings
$66,586
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$17,028
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$66,586
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$66,099
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate67.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.4
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time85.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
71.3%
SAT Avg
1,096
SAT Reading
25th: 49056575th: 600
SAT Math
25th: 47058075th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: 202375th: 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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$588k
+$121k
+$103k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$526k
+$59k
+$42k
Full Cost$47k/yr
+$417k
-$50k
-$67k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
32
∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
44
68%
Full Cost$47k/yr
Never
-39%
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 Return19%

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-55%
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

Biology, General
CertCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,278
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (4yr)
$72,812
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$87,197
Natl Median: $85,825
Lifetime Value Added
+$200k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,515
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,840
Earnings (4yr)
$59,075
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Median Debt
$22,990
Earnings (4yr)
$71,987
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,006
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,936
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$19,049
Earnings (4yr)
$82,159
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$86,015
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k
Median Debt
$17,526
Earnings (4yr)
$62,640
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,061
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,704
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
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
Median Debt
$20,368
Earnings (4yr)
$71,831
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,934
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$76,485
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$118k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,485
Natl Median: $53,266
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,309
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$269k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,275
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,325
Earnings (4yr)
$65,895
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,168
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,122
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$52,029
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,981
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,722
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$85,320
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$185k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,859
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,522
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,625
Earnings (4yr)
$51,021
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Median Debt
$23,990
Earnings (4yr)
$51,794
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $104,114
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Air Transportation
MastCIP: 4901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$108,264
Natl Median: $110,104
Lifetime Value Added
+$281k
Median Debt
$34,166
Earnings (4yr)
$88,361
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,228
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$31,390
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$140,898
Natl Median: $120,083
Lifetime Value Added
+$564k
Median Debt
$35,390
Earnings (4yr)
$102,499
Natl Median: $121,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$231k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$84,837
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,917
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$87,205
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,158
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$47,832
Earnings (4yr)
$117,706
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$363k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$34,166
Earnings (4yr)
$61,033
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Median Debt
$35,791
Earnings (4yr)
$64,472
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Median Debt
$36,161
Earnings (4yr)
$56,965
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.