College ROI

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Lipscomb University

Nashville, TN 2,997 Undergrads 68.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$56,348
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,178
After Aid
Median Earnings
$63,728
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,178
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$63,728
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$62,332
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate68.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age23.9
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients29.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
67.7%
SAT Avg
1,256
SAT Reading
25th: 59060075th: 700
SAT Math
25th: 57058575th: 680
ACT Composite
25th: 232675th: 30

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
+$559k
+$88k
+$72k
Median Cost$23k/yr
+$475k
+$5k
-$11k
Full Cost$56k/yr
+$356k
-$114k
-$131k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
35
∞
Median Cost$23k/yr
Never
-13%
Full Cost$56k/yr
Never
-64%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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-29%

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-71%

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)
$83,930
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
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Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,921
Natl Median: $44,533
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (4yr)
$54,965
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
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Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$80,751
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
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Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,267
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,894
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,796
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$279k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,000
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: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$354k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,167
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
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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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,125
Earnings (4yr)
$77,996
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
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Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$93,990
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$231k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,036
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
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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
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: $42,915
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$47,933
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,051
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,938
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$15,875
Earnings (5yr)
$71,902
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,328
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,544
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,566
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,135
Natl Median: $58,414
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$106,199
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$253k
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Median Debt
$34,663
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,271
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$43,990
Earnings (4yr)
$90,589
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,187
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $139,553
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$127,250
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$436k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,874
Earnings (4yr)
$59,936
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
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Median Debt
$29,170
Earnings (4yr)
$73,891
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
MastCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,563
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,933
Natl Median: $51,486
Lifetime Value Added
-$233k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,441
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,211
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$220k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,350
Natl Median: $75,122
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,267
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,625
Earnings (4yr)
$63,058
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,590
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,534
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,213
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,190
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
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Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (5yr)
$91,664
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,982
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
$264,350
Earnings (4yr)
$135,760
Natl Median: $138,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$275k
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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.