College ROI

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Oglethorpe University

Atlanta, GA 1,352 Undergrads 54.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$60,581
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,509
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,138
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,509
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$52,138
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate54.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
88.4%
SAT Avg
1,227
SAT Reading
25th: 55060075th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 54057575th: 650
ACT Composite
25th: 222775th: 31

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
+$471k
+$5k
-$13k
Median Cost$20k/yr
+$401k
-$66k
-$83k
Full Cost$61k/yr
+$253k
-$213k
-$231k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$20k/yr
Never
-118%
Full Cost$61k/yr
Never
-106%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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-102%

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-90%
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
-
Earnings (5yr)
$81,747
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$137k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$344k
Biopsychology
BachCIP: 3010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,609
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,396
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,774
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.