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McNeese State University
Lake Charles, LA 4,846 Undergrads 45.0% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$21,168
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,257
After Aid
Median Earnings
$46,453
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$11,257
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$46,453
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate45.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients35.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS62.9%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
67.5%
SAT Avg
1,080
SAT Reading
25th: 43052575th: 560
SAT Math
25th: 38055575th: 560
ACT Composite
25th: 182275th: 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
+$408k
+$12k
-$76k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$368k
-$29k
-$116k
Full Cost$21k/yr
+$332k
-$64k
-$152k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
Never
-288%
Full Cost$21k/yr
Never
-200%
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-247%
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-106%
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
Associate's Degrees
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$16,705
Earnings (5yr)
$40,109
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,468
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$18,683
Earnings (5yr)
$50,857
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Agriculture, General
BachCIP: 0100
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,104
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,736
Earnings (5yr)
$58,995
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$23,850
Earnings (5yr)
$49,396
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,136
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$42,915
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,568
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$24,685
Earnings (5yr)
$40,540
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$25,554
Earnings (5yr)
$99,434
Lifetime Value Added
+$299k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$27,680
Earnings (5yr)
$45,936
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$23,615
Earnings (2yr)
$15,182
Lifetime Value Added
-$369k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (5yr)
$44,155
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,729
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$24,377
Earnings (5yr)
$41,559
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,467
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,936
Earnings (5yr)
$43,040
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$23,011
Earnings (5yr)
$72,067
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$31,539
Earnings (5yr)
$44,679
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$22,316
Earnings (5yr)
$45,505
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,464
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Post-Baccalaureate Certificates
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
PB-CertCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,966
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$61,814
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,384
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,161
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$30,128
Earnings (5yr)
$56,410
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$35,378
Earnings (5yr)
$52,876
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$40,664
Earnings (5yr)
$122,089
Lifetime Value Added
+$608k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,322
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
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.