College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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North Park University

Chicago, IL 1,844 Undergrads 62.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$42,040
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,191
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,572
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,191
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$59,572
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate62.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients44.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
72.8%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -51675th: -
SAT Math
25th: -51075th: -
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
+$514k
+$117k
+$29k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$448k
+$52k
-$36k
Full Cost$42k/yr
+$362k
-$34k
-$122k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
43
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-55%
Full Cost$42k/yr
Never
-81%
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-54%

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-74%
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

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (2yr)
$24,421
Lifetime Value Added
-$309k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$24,811
Earnings (5yr)
$68,284
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,665
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,990
Earnings (5yr)
$52,061
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,896
Lifetime Value Added
-$286k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,041
Earnings (5yr)
$49,267
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$26,793
Earnings (5yr)
$83,592
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,315
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,609
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$31,800
Earnings (5yr)
$82,188
Lifetime Value Added
+$253k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,298
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$66,915
Lifetime Value Added
+$157k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
MastCIP: 5213
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (5yr)
$116,050
Lifetime Value Added
+$543k

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.