College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Misericordia University

Dallas, PA 1,672 Undergrads 64.6% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$53,648
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$37,485
After Aid
Median Earnings
$69,973
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$37,485
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$69,973
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$64,313
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate64.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients23.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
70.9%
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
+$614k
+$147k
+$129k
Median Cost$37k/yr
+$479k
+$12k
-$6k
Full Cost$54k/yr
+$421k
-$46k
-$64k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
30
Median Cost$37k/yr
Never
-4%
Full Cost$54k/yr
Never
-33%
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 Return30%

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-53%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,365
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$71,798
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$79,580
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$78,107
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$72,833
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,648
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$227k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,316
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$71,314
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,418
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,121
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
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
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,992
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$72,572
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$88,523
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,142
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$223k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,874
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$242k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,487
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,156
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$120,621
Natl Median: $127,217
Lifetime Value Added
+$331k
Median Debt
$28,837
Earnings (5yr)
$70,301
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,174
Natl Median: $96,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$237k
Median Debt
$27,407
Earnings (4yr)
$62,199
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,392
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,441
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$116,732
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$298k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$82,456
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$82,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,793
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,426
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.