College ROI

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Lincoln University

Lincoln University, PA 1,539 Undergrads 48.4% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$29,069
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,517
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,942
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,517
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$59,942
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$53,919
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate48.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average starting age (2015-17)21.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients70.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS56.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
65.7%
SAT Avg
920
SAT Reading
25th: 42049075th: 500
SAT Math
25th: 40043075th: 460
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
+$528k
+$58k
+$42k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$480k
+$10k
-$7k
Full Cost$29k/yr
+$424k
-$46k
-$63k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
39
∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-14%
Full Cost$29k/yr
Never
-60%
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-13%

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-58%

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: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,431
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,706
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,523
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,455
Earnings (4yr)
$49,412
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,632
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Engineering Science
BachCIP: 1413
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,782
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,159
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
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
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,056
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,250
Earnings (4yr)
$50,390
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
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
Physical Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,944
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,374
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$36,544
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,652
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$118k
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
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,141
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,250
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,925
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
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
$27,333
Earnings (4yr)
$63,698
Natl Median: $57,050
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Median Debt
$34,646
Earnings (4yr)
$68,343
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,552
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k

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.