Otterbein University

Westerville, OH 2,157 Undergrads 67.3% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$48,321

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$19,237

After Aid

Median Earnings

$58,068

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,237

Peer Midpoint: $20,081

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation

$58,068

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment

$53,313

Peer Midpoint: $53,763

Graduation Rate67.3%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age20.3

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients30.4%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time95.7%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS77.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

84.5%

SAT Avg

1,220

SAT Reading

25th: -56575th: -

SAT Math

25th: -56675th: -

ACT Composite

25th: 222375th: 28

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

+$520k

+$53k

+$36k

Median Cost$19k/yr

+$451k

-$16k

-$33k

Full Cost$48k/yr

+$346k

-$121k

-$138k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$19k/yr

Never

-48%

Full Cost$48k/yr

Never

-79%

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-54%

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-76%

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)

$73,311

Natl Median: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

+$75k

Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services

BachCIP: 0105

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $40,334

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs

BachCIP: 0113

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,880

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

BachCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $70,786

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

BachCIP: 2602

Median Debt

$21,500

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,466

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

$26,000

Earnings (4yr)

$42,619

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

-$163k

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$26,000

Earnings (4yr)

$70,328

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

+$63k

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other

BachCIP: 5299

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,830

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business/Corporate Communications

BachCIP: 5205

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,784

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

$18,500

Earnings (4yr)

$51,006

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

-$92k

Computer and Information Sciences, General

BachCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $92,374

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminology

BachCIP: 4504

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,556

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Design and Applied Arts

BachCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,490

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

Median Debt

$26,822

Earnings (4yr)

$38,023

Natl Median: $39,775

Lifetime Value Added

-$202k

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Education, General

BachCIP: 1301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,808

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Engineering Physics

BachCIP: 1412

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $89,154

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature/Letters, Other

BachCIP: 2399

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $46,634

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

BachCIP: 0502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,710

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Finance and Financial Management Services

BachCIP: 5208

Median Debt

$25,600

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $83,343

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$35,903

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

-$227k

Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General

BachCIP: 5100

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$62,364

Natl Median: $61,296

Lifetime Value Added

+$959

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 Business

BachCIP: 5211

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $73,201

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

Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

BachCIP: 5213

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $86,176

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Marketing

BachCIP: 5214

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,303

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mechanical Engineering

BachCIP: 1419

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $92,135

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$45,388

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

-$146k

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

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

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

$25,000

Earnings (4yr)

$49,090

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$108k

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

BachCIP: 0909

Median Debt

$20,500

Earnings (4yr)

$58,065

Natl Median: $63,560

Lifetime Value Added

-$34k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

BachCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$80,188

Natl Median: $88,910

Lifetime Value Added

+$138k

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

BachCIP: 2313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,471

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

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

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

BachCIP: 3105

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (4yr)

$46,521

Natl Median: $54,562

Lifetime Value Added

-$129k

Sustainability Studies

BachCIP: 3033

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,887

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Systems Engineering

BachCIP: 1427

Median Debt

$25,469

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $105,185

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$21,025

Earnings (4yr)

$47,383

Natl Median: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

-$122k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$46,265

Natl Median: $51,389

Lifetime Value Added

-$139k

Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians

BachCIP: 0183

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $44,115

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management

BachCIP: 0306

Median Debt

$25,850

Earnings (4yr)

$41,121

Natl Median: $45,338

Lifetime Value Added

-$175k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations

MastCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$117,614

Natl Median: $103,485

Lifetime Value Added

+$359k

Curriculum and Instruction

MastCIP: 1303

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,399

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health and Medical Administrative Services

MastCIP: 5107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $89,981

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General

MastCIP: 5100

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $78,149

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

MastCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$60,824

Earnings (4yr)

$125,033

Natl Median: $120,193

Lifetime Value Added

+$423k

Special Education and Teaching

MastCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $64,397

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

MastCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $59,916

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

MastCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,707

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Graduate Certificates

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

Gr-CertCIP: 5138

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $126,911

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

DocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$144,240

Natl Median: $138,131

Lifetime Value Added

+$394k

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. 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.