College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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North Carolina Wesleyan University

Rocky Mount, NC 1,169 Undergrads 63.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$48,263
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,165
After Aid
Median Earnings
$45,873
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,165
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$45,873
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate63.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients47.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS65.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
78.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -50075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -49075th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -1875th: -

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
+$404k
+$7k
-$81k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$338k
-$58k
-$146k
Full Cost$48k/yr
+$230k
-$166k
-$254k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-223%
Full Cost$48k/yr
Never
-146%
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-169%

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-103%
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
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$23,059
Earnings (5yr)
$58,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$20,834
Earnings (5yr)
$62,563
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,833
Earnings (5yr)
$42,763
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,982
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Lifetime Value Added
-$340k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$21,185
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,002
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k

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.