College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Marietta College

Marietta, OH 1,035 Undergrads 56.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$52,360
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,372
After Aid
Median Earnings
$57,180
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,372
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$57,180
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate56.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients26.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
78.6%
SAT Avg
1,103
SAT Reading
25th: 50054575th: 640
SAT Math
25th: 49052575th: 655
ACT Composite
25th: 182175th: 24

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
+$495k
+$98k
+$10k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$429k
+$32k
-$56k
Full Cost$52k/yr
+$306k
-$90k
-$178k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
52
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-84%
Full Cost$52k/yr
Never
-94%
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-81%

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-84%
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

Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,134
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k
Petroleum Engineering
BachCIP: 1425
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$93,979
Lifetime Value Added
+$232k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$34,526
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k

Master's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$99,204
Earnings (5yr)
$126,812
Lifetime Value Added
+$635k

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.