McPherson College

McPherson, KS 872 Undergrads 53.6% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$50,611

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$26,441

After Aid

Median Earnings

$50,934

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$26,441

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$50,934

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate53.6%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients35.9%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time99.8%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS69.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

76.8%

SAT Avg

1,058

SAT Reading

25th: 470-75th: 620

SAT Math

25th: 490-75th: 580

ACT Composite

25th: 18-75th: 23

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

+$461k

-$5k

-$23k

Median Cost$26k/yr

+$366k

-$101k

-$118k

Full Cost$51k/yr

+$279k

-$188k

-$205k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

Never

-∞

Median Cost$26k/yr

Never

-124%

Full Cost$51k/yr

Never

-113%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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-112%

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-91%

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

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

BachCIP: 2602

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,466

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminology

BachCIP: 4504

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,556

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Design and Applied Arts

BachCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,490

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,775

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Finance and Financial Management Services

BachCIP: 5208

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $83,343

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General

BachCIP: 5100

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $61,296

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Services, General

BachCIP: 4400

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,597

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Marketing

BachCIP: 5214

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,303

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians

BachCIP: 1508

Median Debt

$26,975

Earnings (4yr)

$52,781

Natl Median: $82,073

Lifetime Value Added

-$103k

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3899

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $46,083

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

BachCIP: 0909

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,560

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Research and Experimental Psychology

BachCIP: 4227

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,695

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

BachCIP: 3105

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$48,331

Natl Median: $54,562

Lifetime Value Added

-$140k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Master's Degrees

Education, Other

MastCIP: 1399

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,348

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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.