College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Longwood University

Farmville, VA 2,957 Undergrads 67.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$32,870
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$20,814
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,347
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$20,814
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$52,347
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate67.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients27.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
84.8%
SAT Avg
1,117
SAT Reading
25th: 52056075th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 50054075th: 570
ACT Composite
25th: 222075th: 25

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
+$456k
+$60k
-$28k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$381k
-$15k
-$103k
Full Cost$33k/yr
+$338k
-$59k
-$146k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
Never
-138%
Full Cost$33k/yr
Never
-124%
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-126%

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-88%
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
$25,750
Earnings (5yr)
$54,876
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$23,092
Earnings (5yr)
$77,415
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,281
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,178
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (5yr)
$48,248
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,168
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$26,763
Earnings (5yr)
$47,156
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$24,801
Earnings (5yr)
$50,634
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,651
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,821
Earnings (5yr)
$46,337
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$26,799
Earnings (5yr)
$72,752
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (5yr)
$43,047
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,849
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,166
Earnings (5yr)
$53,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
BachCIP: 5001
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,564
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k

Master's Degrees

Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$47,619
Earnings (5yr)
$64,319
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$53,281
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,666
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k

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.