College ROI

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Nicholls State University

Thibodaux, LA 4,737 Undergrads 51.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$23,481
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,947
After Aid
Median Earnings
$51,767
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,947
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$51,767
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$45,454
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate51.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients39.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS64.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
90.8%
SAT Avg
1,090
SAT Reading
25th: 47256375th: 608
SAT Math
25th: 46257175th: 588
ACT Composite
25th: 192375th: 24

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
+$468k
+$1k
-$16k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$422k
-$45k
-$63k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$384k
-$83k
-$101k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-134%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-119%
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-112%

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%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,133
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,041
Natl Median: $77,878
Lifetime Value Added
+$293k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,463
Earnings (4yr)
$66,499
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,666
Earnings (4yr)
$45,142
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,927
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,355
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,500
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,969
Natl Median: $47,668
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,677
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$73,446
Natl Median: $74,842
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Median Debt
$19,423
Earnings (4yr)
$41,459
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Median Debt
$28,250
Earnings (4yr)
$40,241
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,966
Earnings (4yr)
$39,637
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,343
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$50,107
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Median Debt
$23,825
Earnings (4yr)
$65,635
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$21,462
Earnings (4yr)
$53,871
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,417
Earnings (4yr)
$74,167
Natl Median: $72,609
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Median Debt
$21,898
Earnings (4yr)
$43,992
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
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
$22,106
Earnings (4yr)
$43,011
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Median Debt
$24,738
Earnings (4yr)
$79,428
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,361
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,646
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Median Debt
$21,008
Earnings (4yr)
$49,442
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$19,884
Earnings (4yr)
$99,776
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$214k
Median Debt
$41,772
Earnings (4yr)
$54,071
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Median Debt
$23,725
Earnings (4yr)
$56,621
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,527
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,636
Earnings (4yr)
$53,746
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$48,211
Earnings (4yr)
$120,260
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$393k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,673
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,600
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k

Other Programs

Mathematics
DegCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,761
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 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.