College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Lindsey Wilson College

Columbia, KY 1,649 Undergrads 49.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$39,568
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,811
After Aid
Median Earnings
$41,129
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,811
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$41,129
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate49.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients52.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS61.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
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
+$365k
-$32k
-$120k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$315k
-$82k
-$170k
Full Cost$40k/yr
+$222k
-$174k
-$262k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-341%
Full Cost$40k/yr
Never
-184%
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-230%

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

Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$24,337
Earnings (5yr)
$48,734
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$24,413
Earnings (5yr)
$37,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$39,990
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Human Services, General
BachCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$16,250
Earnings (5yr)
$36,474
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,700
Earnings (5yr)
$60,941
Lifetime Value Added
-$413
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,721
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k

Master's Degrees

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$42,874
Earnings (5yr)
$47,549
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k

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.