College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Paine College

Augusta, GA 388 Undergrads 17.5% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$27,431
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,670
After Aid
Median Earnings
$41,449
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,670
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (10yr)$41,449
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate17.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients74.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS39.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
95.4%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$376k
-$84k
-$102k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$316k
-$144k
-$162k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$277k
-$183k
-$201k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
Never
-270%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-203%
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-257%

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-114%
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
-
Nat: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
BachCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $50,523
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Nat: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
-$290k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Nat: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$286k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics and Computer Science
BachCIP: 3008
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $118,943
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,824
Nat: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$337k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $47,382
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, 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.