College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Nichols College

Dudley, MA 1,152 Undergrads 58.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$55,871
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$31,065
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,063
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$31,065
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,063
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate58.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients30.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS68.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
88.1%
SAT Avg
1,110
SAT Reading
25th: 49052575th: 610
SAT Math
25th: 51054075th: 580
ACT Composite
25th: -2375th: -

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
+$502k
+$105k
+$17k
Median Cost$31k/yr
+$390k
-$7k
-$94k
Full Cost$56k/yr
+$301k
-$96k
-$184k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
48
Median Cost$31k/yr
Never
-84%
Full Cost$56k/yr
Never
-91%
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-76%

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-83%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$84,976
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,053
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,586
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,128
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$25,522
Earnings (5yr)
$77,546
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,826
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$229k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,949
Earnings (5yr)
$64,655
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$29,640
Earnings (5yr)
$97,885
Lifetime Value Added
+$364k

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.