College ROI

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McNeese State University

Lake Charles, LA 5,005 Undergrads 47.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$22,810
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,493
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,563
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,493
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$53,563
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$46,453
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate47.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age21.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients37.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS62.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
78.3%
SAT Avg
1,087
SAT Reading
25th: 49052575th: 610
SAT Math
25th: 45055575th: 588
ACT Composite
25th: 182275th: 23

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$483k
+$16k
-$1k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$438k
-$29k
-$46k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$401k
-$66k
-$83k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-103%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-101%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-68%
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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Associate's Degrees

Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
AssocCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,705
Earnings (4yr)
$45,658
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$18,683
Earnings (4yr)
$67,331
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,901
Natl Median: $53,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,777
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,736
Earnings (5yr)
$58,995
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Median Debt
$23,850
Earnings (4yr)
$60,532
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,136
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$47,166
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,834
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Median Debt
$24,685
Earnings (4yr)
$46,223
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Median Debt
$25,554
Earnings (4yr)
$107,319
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$369k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,828
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Median Debt
$27,680
Earnings (4yr)
$62,705
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Median Debt
$23,615
Earnings (4yr)
$34,891
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$205k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,729
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Median Debt
$24,377
Earnings (4yr)
$45,669
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,589
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,936
Earnings (4yr)
$37,416
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,011
Earnings (4yr)
$85,928
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$206k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$31,539
Earnings (4yr)
$47,592
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (4yr)
$51,257
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Median Debt
$22,316
Earnings (4yr)
$48,195
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,464
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,338
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,623
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,966
Natl Median: $58,414
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,439
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,948
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,384
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k
Median Debt
$36,052
Earnings (4yr)
$59,792
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,170
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$35,378
Earnings (4yr)
$79,341
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Median Debt
$40,664
Earnings (4yr)
$120,313
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$394k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$30,128
Earnings (4yr)
$60,071
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,679
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$243k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,911
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.