College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Ouachita Baptist University

Arkadelphia, AR 1,612 Undergrads 63.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$45,132
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,355
After Aid
Median Earnings
$51,673
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,355
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$51,673
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate63.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS69.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
68.5%
SAT Avg
1,212
SAT Reading
25th: 530-75th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 530-75th: 630
ACT Composite
25th: 21-75th: 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
+$451k
+$54k
-$34k
Median Cost$22k/yr
+$370k
-$26k
-$114k
Full Cost$45k/yr
+$288k
-$108k
-$196k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$22k/yr
Never
-142%
Full Cost$45k/yr
Never
-121%
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 Return-125%

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-92%
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

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,322
Earnings (5yr)
$69,601
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (5yr)
$41,779
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (2yr)
$18,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$382k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$21,320
Earnings (5yr)
$58,779
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$51,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,933
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,076
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology
BachCIP: 3903
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$26,001
Lifetime Value Added
-$323k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$285k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Lifetime Value Added
-$350k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$25,197
Earnings (5yr)
$45,473
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,439
Lifetime Value Added
-$296k

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.