College ROI

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Louisiana Tech University

Ruston, LA 8,312 Undergrads 58.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$24,510
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,959
After Aid
Median Earnings
$65,262
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,959
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$65,262
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$58,121
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate58.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)20.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients31.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS69.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
86.4%
SAT Avg
1,191
SAT Reading
25th: 55058075th: 630
SAT Math
25th: 55063075th: 680
ACT Composite
25th: 212475th: 27

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
+$571k
+$101k
+$84k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$528k
+$57k
+$41k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$482k
+$12k
-$4k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
43
96%
Full Cost$25k/yr
Never
-5%
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 Return87%

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-28%

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 →

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$77,475
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$284k
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Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$65,284
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$83,323
Natl Median: $85,825
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
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Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$36,769
Natl Median: $49,634
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,640
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,731
Natl Median: $62,161
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
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Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$59,671
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$85,454
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
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Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$60,949
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$98,240
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$304k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,492
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
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Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$27,021
Earnings (4yr)
$81,524
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$59,081
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
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Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$23,313
Earnings (4yr)
$96,365
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$290k
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Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$77,558
Natl Median: $93,843
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
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Median Debt
$25,860
Earnings (4yr)
$41,534
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,708
Earnings (4yr)
$99,526
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$314k
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Engineering, Other
BachCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$105,080
Natl Median: $93,989
Lifetime Value Added
+$356k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$67,216
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Forestry
BachCIP: 0305
Median Debt
$21,130
Earnings (4yr)
$65,941
Natl Median: $58,784
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,122
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
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Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,142
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
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Median Debt
$20,994
Earnings (4yr)
$42,447
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$88,619
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$231k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,369
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$18,202
Earnings (4yr)
$41,220
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,150
Earnings (4yr)
$63,474
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
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Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,118
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,441
Earnings (4yr)
$92,457
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$260k
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Median Debt
$20,950
Earnings (4yr)
$42,822
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
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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
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,549
Earnings (4yr)
$51,222
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,790
Earnings (4yr)
$37,473
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
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Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,192
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,475
Earnings (4yr)
$53,391
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
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Median Debt
$25,333
Earnings (4yr)
$52,150
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$65,645
Natl Median: $74,139
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,371
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,486
Earnings (4yr)
$81,197
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,220
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,285
Natl Median: $62,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,463
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$111,086
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$316k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,906
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,460
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
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Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
$19,035
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,390
Natl Median: $65,509
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,051
Natl Median: $65,965
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,570
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,495
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,611
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,147
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,444
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,653
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,848
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,630
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.