College ROI

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Missouri Southern State University

Joplin, MO 3,101 Undergrads 42.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$19,194
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,653
After Aid
Median Earnings
$42,620
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,653
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$42,620
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate42.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients44.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time81.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS66.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
97.4%
SAT Avg
1,090
SAT Reading
25th: 50051575th: 600
SAT Math
25th: 50054575th: 570
ACT Composite
25th: 182175th: 24

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
-$20k
-$107k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$335k
-$61k
-$149k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$308k
-$89k
-$177k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-356%
Full Cost$19k/yr
Never
-256%
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-338%

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-123%
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

Certificates

Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$17,860
Earnings (5yr)
$40,880
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$13,375
Earnings (5yr)
$51,315
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Computer Programming
AssocCIP: 1102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,755
Lifetime Value Added
+$137k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$19,990
Earnings (5yr)
$42,119
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$22,143
Earnings (5yr)
$61,244
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k

Bachelor's Degrees

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$15,426
Earnings (5yr)
$55,730
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$18,116
Earnings (5yr)
$57,377
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$18,686
Earnings (5yr)
$53,540
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,998
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$21,616
Earnings (5yr)
$43,976
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (2yr)
$34,298
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,724
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$45,715
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 5199
Median Debt
$17,963
Earnings (5yr)
$56,099
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,902
Lifetime Value Added
+$151k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$21,604
Earnings (5yr)
$40,509
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,249
Earnings (5yr)
$42,457
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,729
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$66,025
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,774
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$19,504
Earnings (5yr)
$39,648
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k

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.