College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Methodist University

Fayetteville, NC 1,425 Undergrads 37.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$53,585
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$24,978
After Aid
Median Earnings
$48,050
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$24,978
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$48,050
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate37.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients38.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS66.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
75.2%
SAT Avg
1,201
SAT Reading
25th: 55058575th: 630
SAT Math
25th: 56058575th: 590
ACT Composite
25th: 232475th: 25

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
+$421k
+$25k
-$63k
Median Cost$25k/yr
+$332k
-$65k
-$153k
Full Cost$54k/yr
+$229k
-$168k
-$256k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$25k/yr
Never
-170%
Full Cost$54k/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-100%
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 (5yr)
$63,419
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,580
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,228
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1505
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$197k
Fire Protection
BachCIP: 4302
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$32,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$260k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,349
Lifetime Value Added
-$201k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,698
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$26,983
Earnings (5yr)
$75,899
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k

Master's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$106,463
Earnings (5yr)
$123,656
Lifetime Value Added
+$596k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,048
Lifetime Value Added
+$214k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,105
Lifetime Value Added
+$266k

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.