College ROI

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Nebraska Wesleyan University

Lincoln, NE 1,453 Undergrads 63.9% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$57,378
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$20,647
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,792
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$20,647
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$60,792
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$62,637
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate63.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)22.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
79.8%
SAT Avg
1,189
SAT Reading
25th: 49062075th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 53056075th: 630
ACT Composite
25th: 222475th: 27

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
+$535k
+$65k
+$49k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$461k
-$9k
-$25k
Full Cost$57k/yr
+$329k
-$141k
-$158k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
Never
-34%
Full Cost$57k/yr
Never
-76%
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-50%

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-77%

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)
$75,139
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,216
Earnings (4yr)
$54,566
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$70,281
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,937
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,322
Earnings (4yr)
$45,420
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
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: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
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
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,320
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$93,116
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$234k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,785
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$58,770
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (2yr)
$39,909
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$91,021
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,781
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$112,139
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$309k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,607
Natl Median: $82,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k

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.