College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Lincoln University

Lincoln University, PA 1,712 Undergrads 48.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$27,358
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,912
After Aid
Median Earnings
$43,167
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,912
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$43,167
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate48.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients66.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS55.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
78.4%
SAT Avg
984
SAT Reading
25th: 45049875th: 530
SAT Math
25th: 42048475th: 520
ACT Composite
25th: 181975th: 22

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
+$381k
-$15k
-$103k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$335k
-$61k
-$149k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$283k
-$113k
-$201k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-322%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-205%
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-260%

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-114%
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

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,570
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,615
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,488
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$32,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,095
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$32,687
Earnings (2yr)
$30,228
Lifetime Value Added
-$236k
Human Services, General
BachCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,213
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,643
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,423
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,933
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k

Master's Degrees

Human Services, General
MastCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$27,573
Earnings (5yr)
$56,003
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,994
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k

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.