College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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McKendree University

Lebanon, IL 1,600 Undergrads 56.0% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$47,121
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$24,190
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,572
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$24,190
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,572
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate56.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients30.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
63.9%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$506k
+$109k
+$21k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$419k
+$22k
-$66k
Full Cost$47k/yr
+$336k
-$60k
-$148k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
46
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-75%
Full Cost$47k/yr
Never
-87%
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-67%

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-79%
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
$20,250
Earnings (5yr)
$60,209
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$26,833
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$204k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,310
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$257k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Lifetime Value Added
-$253k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$352k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$24,552
Earnings (5yr)
$56,586
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$20,264
Earnings (5yr)
$64,856
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,669
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$16,290
Earnings (5yr)
$94,002
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,625
Earnings (5yr)
$49,911
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$22,696
Earnings (5yr)
$72,332
Lifetime Value Added
+$157k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,314
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$20,813
Earnings (5yr)
$55,233
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$26,904
Earnings (5yr)
$56,034
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$115,892
Lifetime Value Added
+$531k

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.