College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA 1,746 Undergrads 64.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$64,637
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,009
After Aid
Median Earnings
$72,379
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$25,009
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$72,379
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate64.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients55.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
68.7%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$611k
+$214k
+$126k
Median Cost$25k/yr
+$521k
+$124k
+$36k
Full Cost$65k/yr
+$378k
-$19k
-$106k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$25k/yr
47
40%
Full Cost$65k/yr
Never
-46%
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 Return6%

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-62%
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

Associate's Degrees

Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
AssocCIP: 5111
Median Debt
$15,875
Earnings (5yr)
$98,527
Lifetime Value Added
+$429k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$38,780
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$18,069
Earnings (5yr)
$111,947
Lifetime Value Added
+$546k

Bachelor's Degrees

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$315k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$31,250
Earnings (5yr)
$73,318
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
BachCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,931
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$29,036
Earnings (5yr)
$52,011
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (2yr)
$27,439
Lifetime Value Added
-$305k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (2yr)
$32,563
Lifetime Value Added
-$259k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,951
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Public Policy Analysis
BachCIP: 4405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,931
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$117,093
Lifetime Value Added
+$381k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$28,915
Earnings (5yr)
$61,463
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$110,607
Lifetime Value Added
+$484k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$40,999
Earnings (5yr)
$63,487
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$49,100
Earnings (5yr)
$74,474
Lifetime Value Added
+$174k

Doctoral Degrees

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$173,420
Earnings (5yr)
$104,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$238k

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.