College ROI

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Nichols College

Dudley, MA 1,163 Undergrads 60.2% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$58,310
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$33,036
After Aid
Median Earnings
$64,532
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$33,036
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$64,532
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$58,063
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate60.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients28.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS68.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
80.8%
SAT Avg
1,140
SAT Reading
25th: 52852575th: 623
SAT Math
25th: 50054075th: 613
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
+$572k
+$105k
+$87k
Median Cost$33k/yr
+$453k
-$14k
-$32k
Full Cost$58k/yr
+$362k
-$105k
-$123k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
Median Cost$33k/yr
Never
-27%
Full Cost$58k/yr
Never
-58%
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-17%

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-68%
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

Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$78,894
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,297
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,926
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Business/Corporate Communications
BachCIP: 5205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$75,321
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$25,522
Earnings (4yr)
$81,485
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$236k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,608
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
-$102
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,949
Earnings (4yr)
$60,365
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,824
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,531
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$96,385
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$29,640
Earnings (4yr)
$91,050
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Homeland Security
MastCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,660
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. 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.