College ROI

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Livingstone College

Salisbury, NC 924 Undergrads 26.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$28,305
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,479
After Aid
Median Earnings
$37,280
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,479
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$37,280
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate26.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients83.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS39.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
59.3%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -46075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -43975th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -1475th: -

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
+$345k
-$122k
-$139k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$297k
-$170k
-$188k
Full Cost$28k/yr
+$243k
-$224k
-$241k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-387%
Full Cost$28k/yr
Never
-237%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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-314%

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-127%
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

Associate's Degrees

Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$34,500
Earnings (4yr)
$40,017
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$31,500
Earnings (4yr)
$40,328
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,458
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$33,625
Earnings (4yr)
$35,015
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$38,155
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
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
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
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
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,945
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,765
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k

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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.