College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Ohio Northern University

Ada, OH 2,386 Undergrads 74.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$52,484
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,727
After Aid
Median Earnings
$80,928
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$25,727
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$80,928
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate74.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients20.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS87.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
73.4%
SAT Avg
1,290
SAT Reading
25th: 58059075th: 678
SAT Math
25th: 59360575th: 698
ACT Composite
25th: 252575th: 29

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
+$673k
+$277k
+$189k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$581k
+$184k
+$96k
Full Cost$52k/yr
+$484k
+$88k
+$116

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
Median Cost$26k/yr
38
104%
Full Cost$52k/yr
64
0%
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 Return92%

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-35%
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
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$83,544
Lifetime Value Added
+$128k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,979
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$23,586
Earnings (5yr)
$76,866
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Construction Management
BachCIP: 5220
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$50,563
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$22,420
Lifetime Value Added
-$354k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$68,219
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (5yr)
$44,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,697
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,193
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$88,267
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
BachCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,987
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (2yr)
$28,055
Lifetime Value Added
-$302k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$74,625
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$278k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$85,719
Lifetime Value Added
+$269k

Doctoral Degrees

Law
DocCIP: 2201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
DocCIP: 5120
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$136,241
Lifetime Value Added
+$466k

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.