College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Ohio University-Southern Campus

Ironton, OH 415 Undergrads 38.9% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$11,607
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,993
After Aid
Median Earnings
$70,528
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$5,993
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$70,528
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+34%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$52,581
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate38.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age23.7
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 Recipients46.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time80.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$618k
+$151k
+$133k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$596k
+$129k
+$112k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$576k
+$109k
+$92k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
30
Median Cost$6k/yr
33
519%
Full Cost$12k/yr
36
220%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return521%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return122%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,692
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$33,312
Natl Median: $35,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Median Debt
$12,750
Earnings (4yr)
$53,863
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$75k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,577
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$10,576
Earnings (4yr)
$25,999
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,999
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,491
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$14,625
Earnings (4yr)
$78,236
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$299k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$84,002
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$215k
Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
$22,067
Earnings (4yr)
$99,701
Natl Median: $85,825
Lifetime Value Added
+$335k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,652
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,327
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (4yr)
$58,647
Natl Median: $57,640
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$16,169
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$341k
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,333
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,390
Natl Median: $49,245
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Median Debt
$21,563
Earnings (4yr)
$71,478
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,697
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,732
Earnings (4yr)
$85,990
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$230k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,576
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$26,875
Earnings (4yr)
$81,019
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,695
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Median Debt
$22,875
Earnings (4yr)
$57,085
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$60,767
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$21,490
Earnings (4yr)
$93,282
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$286k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$77,401
Natl Median: $73,587
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,553
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Median Debt
$21,875
Earnings (4yr)
$42,796
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (5yr)
$64,724
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Median Debt
$23,125
Earnings (4yr)
$94,673
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$296k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,108
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Median Debt
$20,427
Earnings (4yr)
$37,785
Natl Median: $46,634
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$81,299
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$194k
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (4yr)
$39,055
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,381
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$451
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$66,922
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,750
Earnings (4yr)
$61,538
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$46,101
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Median Debt
$25,683
Earnings (4yr)
$52,861
Natl Median: $59,550
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
$26,147
Earnings (4yr)
$45,346
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$99,364
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$332k
Median Debt
$25,375
Earnings (4yr)
$73,640
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,276
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Median Debt
$24,049
Earnings (4yr)
$53,206
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,309
Earnings (4yr)
$93,774
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$289k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$23,416
Earnings (4yr)
$78,506
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,562
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Median Debt
$26,216
Earnings (4yr)
$91,285
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$270k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,998
Natl Median: $52,119
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,582
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (4yr)
$44,593
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,369
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$57,479
Natl Median: $62,172
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,907
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,258
Earnings (4yr)
$49,399
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$23,875
Earnings (4yr)
$62,153
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Median Debt
$23,654
Earnings (4yr)
$48,390
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Median Debt
$13,672
Earnings (4yr)
$87,308
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$240k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$40,479
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,184
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,690
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,312
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Median Debt
$26,950
Earnings (4yr)
$51,258
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,867
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,893
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,356
Earnings (4yr)
$55,352
Natl Median: $44,055
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k

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.