College ROI

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Mercyhurst University

Erie, PA 2,191 Undergrads 62.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$60,498
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$26,486
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,277
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$26,486
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$59,277
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$55,508
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate62.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)22.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS70.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
81.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$523k
+$53k
+$37k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$428k
-$42k
-$59k
Full Cost$60k/yr
+$305k
-$165k
-$181k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
41
∞
Median Cost$26k/yr
Never
-61%
Full Cost$60k/yr
Never
-83%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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-63%

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-81%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,013
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,802
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,983
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$19,358
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$305k
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Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (4yr)
$77,864
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$261k
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Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,596
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Archeology
BachCIP: 4503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,748
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$65,000
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$72,411
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,305
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$276k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,228
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$286k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Natl Median: $83,041
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
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Median Debt
$26,144
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,633
Earnings (4yr)
$54,902
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
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Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,049
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k
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Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,411
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
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Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,113
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$291k
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Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,128
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$83,812
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
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History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,988
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,812
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$86,597
Natl Median: $75,803
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,439
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$312k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$24,125
Earnings (4yr)
$74,187
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,652
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
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Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,172
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$76,154
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,694
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
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Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,182
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$60,771
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,665
Natl Median: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
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Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,638
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,066
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$128,908
Earnings (4yr)
$124,378
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$405k
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Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,276
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,832
Earnings (4yr)
$58,112
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$323k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,995
Earnings (4yr)
$107,254
Natl Median: $107,835
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,309
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,575
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$242k
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Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$50,399
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$253k
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Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,274
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.