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Mercyhurst University
Erie, PA 2,217 Undergrads 65.8% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$57,948
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$27,263
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,452
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$27,263
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$47,452
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate65.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients30.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS65.9%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
83.2%
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
+$417k
+$20k
-$68k
Median Cost$27k/yr
+$318k
-$78k
-$166k
Full Cost$58k/yr
+$208k
-$188k
-$276k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$27k/yr
Never
-169%
Full Cost$58k/yr
Never
-133%
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-147%
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-101%
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
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$38,746
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$36,207
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$34,329
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$37,195
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$66,261
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$74,759
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$61,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
BachCIP: 5299
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (2yr)
$31,305
Lifetime Value Added
-$278k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,801
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,630
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (2yr)
$23,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$348k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$26,836
Earnings (5yr)
$58,401
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$41,434
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$26,269
Earnings (5yr)
$74,593
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$25,299
Earnings (5yr)
$75,582
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,698
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations
BachCIP: 2902
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$80,168
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,439
Lifetime Value Added
-$314k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,395
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (5yr)
$28,975
Lifetime Value Added
-$315k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$60,520
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,153
Earnings (5yr)
$50,334
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,196
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$35,883
Earnings (2yr)
$60,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Security Science and Technology
BachCIP: 4304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,321
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$24,923
Earnings (5yr)
$49,564
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations
BachCIP: 5219
Median Debt
$26,950
Earnings (5yr)
$52,001
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,007
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$18,584
Earnings (5yr)
$49,819
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
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.