College ROI

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Morningside University

Sioux City, IA 1,163 Undergrads 58.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$54,848
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,505
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,222
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,505
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$58,222
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$58,902
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate58.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)22.4
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
71.0%
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
+$515k
+$45k
+$28k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$430k
-$40k
-$56k
Full Cost$55k/yr
+$317k
-$153k
-$169k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
43
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-67%
Full Cost$55k/yr
Never
-86%
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-66%

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-81%

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 →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,368
Natl Median: $80,757
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,400
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Biopsychology
BachCIP: 3010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,295
Earnings (4yr)
$61,940
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,523
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$321k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,439
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,669
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$299k
Engineering Physics
BachCIP: 1412
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,154
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,019
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$295k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$84,033
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,812
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,717
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,166
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k

Master's Degrees

Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,279
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Median Debt
$36,639
Earnings (4yr)
$99,896
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Median Debt
$19,691
Earnings (4yr)
$61,726
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,996
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k

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.