Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Natchitoches, LA 5,840 Undergrads 46.2% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$24,496

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$13,809

After Aid

Median Earnings

$47,021

10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,809

Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5

Earnings (10yr)$47,021

Peer Midpoint: $53,747

Graduation Rate46.2%

Peer Midpoint: 58.5%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients46.7%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time74.1%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS64.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

93.7%

SAT Avg

1,090

SAT Reading

25th: 49553075th: 620

SAT Math

25th: 43049075th: 623

ACT Composite

25th: 181975th: 24

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

+$413k

+$17k

-$71k

Median Cost$14k/yr

+$363k

-$33k

-$121k

Full Cost$24k/yr

+$325k

-$72k

-$159k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

Never

-∞

Median Cost$14k/yr

Never

-244%

Full Cost$24k/yr

Never

-181%

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-218%

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

Associate's Degrees

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$19,360

Earnings (5yr)

$45,068

Lifetime Value Added

-$35k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

AssocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$43,926

Lifetime Value Added

-$139k

Hospitality Administration/Management

BachCIP: 5209

Median Debt

$19,500

Earnings (5yr)

$41,200

Lifetime Value Added

-$162k

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians

BachCIP: 1506

Median Debt

$25,250

Earnings (5yr)

$75,283

Lifetime Value Added

+$109k

Information Science/Studies

BachCIP: 1104

Median Debt

$26,125

Earnings (5yr)

$83,443

Lifetime Value Added

+$170k

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$26,528

Earnings (5yr)

$47,139

Lifetime Value Added

-$112k

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

BachCIP: 5115

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (5yr)

$45,947

Lifetime Value Added

-$122k

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$24,245

Earnings (5yr)

$46,485

Lifetime Value Added

-$118k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

BachCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$22,175

Earnings (5yr)

$82,918

Lifetime Value Added

+$166k

Social Work

BachCIP: 4407

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (5yr)

$44,157

Lifetime Value Added

-$137k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$19,731

Earnings (5yr)

$45,968

Lifetime Value Added

-$122k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$59,583

Lifetime Value Added

+$64k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

MastCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$41,000

Earnings (5yr)

$109,076

Lifetime Value Added

+$492k

Special Education and Teaching

MastCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$43,798

Lifetime Value Added

-$59k

Student Counseling and Personnel Services

MastCIP: 1311

Median Debt

$42,395

Earnings (5yr)

$55,424

Lifetime Value Added

+$25k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

MastCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$35,500

Earnings (5yr)

$51,088

Lifetime Value Added

-$15k

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.