College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Northwood University

Midland, MI 1,900 Undergrads 65.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$47,114
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$26,429
After Aid
Median Earnings
$63,075
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$26,429
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$63,075
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate65.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time67.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
83.9%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$541k
+$144k
+$56k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$446k
+$49k
-$39k
Full Cost$47k/yr
+$371k
-$25k
-$113k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
37
Median Cost$26k/yr
Never
-41%
Full Cost$47k/yr
Never
-67%
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-31%

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-69%
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
$18,067
Earnings (5yr)
$71,455
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,325
Earnings (5yr)
$63,352
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,446
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$82,036
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (5yr)
$57,234
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,997
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,050
Earnings (5yr)
$57,494
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$61,166
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations
BachCIP: 5219
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$79,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$83,794
Lifetime Value Added
+$252k

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.