College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Mississippi Valley State University

Itta Bena, MS 1,439 Undergrads 35.5% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$21,154
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,686
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,972
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$9,686
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$40,972
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate35.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients83.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time72.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS42.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
92.4%
SAT Avg
870
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 131675th: 17

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
+$377k
-$90k
-$107k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$342k
-$125k
-$142k
Full Cost$21k/yr
+$301k
-$166k
-$184k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-408%
Full Cost$21k/yr
Never
-241%
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 Return-316%

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-121%
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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,775
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,691
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,947
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,421
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$278k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$26,814
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$270k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$271k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,591
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$255k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,905
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k

Master's Degrees

Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology
MastCIP: 2611
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,121
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,180
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$328k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,583
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$393k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,542
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$357k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.