College ROI

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Northwood University

Midland, MI 1,974 Undergrads 66.1% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$50,610
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,908
After Aid
Median Earnings
$69,674
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$25,908
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$69,674
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$68,112
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate66.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)26.8
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients29.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time67.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
64.5%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

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
+$605k
+$135k
+$118k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$512k
+$41k
+$25k
Full Cost$51k/yr
+$423k
-$47k
-$64k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$26k/yr
50
27%
Full Cost$51k/yr
Never
-35%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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 Return25%

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-56%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,044
Earnings (4yr)
$74,822
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$64,405
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$68,679
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,804
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,724
Earnings (4yr)
$67,477
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,020
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Insurance
BachCIP: 5217
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,472
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,720
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,625
Earnings (4yr)
$62,860
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,008
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Median Debt
$21,540
Earnings (4yr)
$77,647
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$50,699
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$43,170
Earnings (4yr)
$92,321
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,694
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. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. 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.