College ROI

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Louisiana Tech University

Ruston, LA 8,312 Undergrads 57.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$24,280
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,864
After Aid
Median Earnings
$61,520
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,864
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$61,520
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$52,279
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate57.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients28.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS72.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
86.4%
SAT Avg
1,191
SAT Reading
25th: 55058075th: 630
SAT Math
25th: 55059575th: 680
ACT Composite
25th: 212575th: 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
+$548k
+$81k
+$63k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$505k
+$38k
+$21k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$460k
-$6k
-$24k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
36
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
49
49%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-27%
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 Return49%

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-36%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,334
Earnings (4yr)
$77,475
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$281k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$19,625
Earnings (4yr)
$65,284
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
$20,385
Earnings (4yr)
$83,323
Natl Median: $85,825
Lifetime Value Added
+$189k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$24,800
Earnings (4yr)
$36,769
Natl Median: $49,634
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,640
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,731
Natl Median: $62,161
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$59,671
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$85,454
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
Median Debt
$24,786
Earnings (4yr)
$60,949
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,342
Earnings (4yr)
$98,240
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$302k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,492
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$24,676
Earnings (4yr)
$81,524
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,126
Earnings (4yr)
$59,081
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$1k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$22,732
Earnings (4yr)
$96,365
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$288k
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$77,558
Natl Median: $93,843
Lifetime Value Added
+$145k
Median Debt
$19,868
Earnings (4yr)
$41,534
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$99,526
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$312k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$87,053
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
+$217k
Engineering, Other
BachCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$105,080
Natl Median: $93,989
Lifetime Value Added
+$355k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$67,216
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Forestry
BachCIP: 0305
Median Debt
$22,083
Earnings (4yr)
$65,941
Natl Median: $58,784
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,122
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$45,142
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Median Debt
$20,910
Earnings (4yr)
$42,447
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Median Debt
$30,875
Earnings (4yr)
$88,619
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,369
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$41,220
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,183
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,474
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,118
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,216
Earnings (4yr)
$92,457
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$258k
Median Debt
$25,434
Earnings (4yr)
$42,822
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
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
$23,343
Earnings (4yr)
$51,222
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$37,473
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,192
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,750
Earnings (4yr)
$53,391
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Median Debt
$22,375
Earnings (4yr)
$52,150
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
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
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Natl Median: $74,139
Lifetime Value Added
-$237k
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
$17,100
Earnings (4yr)
$81,197
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$39,967
Earnings (4yr)
$61,220
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
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
-$60k
Median Debt
$29,721
Earnings (4yr)
$64,463
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$111,086
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$315k
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
$45,417
Earnings (4yr)
$57,906
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Median Debt
$22,395
Earnings (4yr)
$52,460
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$205k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,965
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
Gr-CertCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,921
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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: $83,031
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.