College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Luther College

Decorah, IA 1,454 Undergrads 74.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$62,845
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,635
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,850
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$25,635
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$59,850
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate74.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients18.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
73.3%
SAT Avg
1,238
SAT Reading
25th: 55057975th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 54862475th: 668
ACT Composite
25th: 222675th: 29

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
+$516k
+$119k
+$31k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$423k
+$27k
-$61k
Full Cost$63k/yr
+$290k
-$107k
-$195k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
42
Median Cost$26k/yr
Never
-66%
Full Cost$63k/yr
Never
-86%
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-68%

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-82%
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

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$90,836
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$26,391
Earnings (5yr)
$63,171
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$61,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,931
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$117,530
Lifetime Value Added
+$382k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,575
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$39,927
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,428
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,501
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,264
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,981
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$328k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,840
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,823
Earnings (5yr)
$51,640
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$74,923
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,246
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Lifetime Value Added
-$258k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,368
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k

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.