College ROI

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Meredith College

Raleigh, NC 1,188 Undergrads 67.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$61,939
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,801
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,703
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,801
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$56,703
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$54,417
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate67.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.4
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients39.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
74.2%
SAT Avg
1,204
SAT Reading
25th: 58860575th: 668
SAT Math
25th: 51058175th: 680
ACT Composite
25th: 232675th: 29

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
+$502k
+$32k
+$16k
Median Cost$23k/yr
+$420k
-$50k
-$66k
Full Cost$62k/yr
+$279k
-$191k
-$207k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
49
∞
Median Cost$23k/yr
Never
-81%
Full Cost$62k/yr
Never
-93%
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-80%

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-85%

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
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,229
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,099
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$62,022
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,569
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$251k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,820
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$357k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$29,995
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$275k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,021
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,137
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,200
Earnings (4yr)
$49,124
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$366k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,236
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$291k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$229k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Legal Support Services
PB-CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
$11,910
Earnings (4yr)
$50,276
Natl Median: $55,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$73,949
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Median Debt
$31,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,669
Natl Median: $66,523
Lifetime Value Added
-$263k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,432
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$247k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$305k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,767
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.