College ROI

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Lincoln Memorial University

Harrogate, TN 1,572 Undergrads 62.0% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$41,530
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$20,406
After Aid
Median Earnings
$69,633
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$20,406
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$69,633
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+39%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$49,956
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate62.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age24.3
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 Recipients39.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time84.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
62.6%
SAT Avg
1,092
SAT Reading
25th: 51054675th: 610
SAT Math
25th: 49056475th: 600
ACT Composite
25th: 182275th: 24

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
+$611k
+$144k
+$127k
Median Cost$20k/yr
+$538k
+$71k
+$53k
Full Cost$42k/yr
+$462k
-$5k
-$23k

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
31
Median Cost$20k/yr
42
72%
Full Cost$42k/yr
Never
-15%
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 Return65%

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-41%
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.

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,226
Earnings (4yr)
$68,337
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Median Debt
$14,250
Earnings (4yr)
$38,379
Natl Median: $41,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$17,723
Earnings (5yr)
$55,757
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$239k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,844
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,000
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,911
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: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,960
Earnings (4yr)
$79,561
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,231
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,508
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$39,627
Natl Median: $44,115
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,338
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$156,921
Earnings (4yr)
$126,852
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$437k
Median Debt
$51,690
Earnings (4yr)
$81,681
Natl Median: $77,545
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Median Debt
$34,145
Earnings (4yr)
$81,224
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,837
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,184
Earnings (4yr)
$52,404
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$64,351
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,106
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,070
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$57,040
Earnings (4yr)
$116,481
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$347k
Median Debt
$32,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,896
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$245k

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
$49,495
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $127,648
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,673
Natl Median: $214,836
Lifetime Value Added
-$270k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$63,957
Natl Median: $71,870
Lifetime Value Added
-$248k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$71,009
Natl Median: $78,026
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$108,228
Earnings (4yr)
$73,596
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$315,197
Earnings (4yr)
$170,521
Natl Median: $112,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$540k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Veterinary Medicine
ProfCIP: 0180
Median Debt
$263,513
Earnings (4yr)
$131,865
Natl Median: $131,316
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,700
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,308
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.