College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Palm Beach Atlantic University

West Palm Beach, FL 2,427 Undergrads 54.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$55,576
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$32,751
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,232
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$32,751
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$49,232
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate54.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients31.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS70.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
88.3%
SAT Avg
1,101
SAT Reading
25th: 50057575th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 47056075th: 590
ACT Composite
25th: 192375th: 26

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
+$431k
+$35k
-$53k
Median Cost$33k/yr
+$313k
-$83k
-$171k
Full Cost$56k/yr
+$231k
-$165k
-$253k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$33k/yr
Never
-145%
Full Cost$56k/yr
Never
-127%
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-137%

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-98%
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
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$41,291
Lifetime Value Added
-$229k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,303
Earnings (5yr)
$56,237
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,619
Lifetime Value Added
-$244k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$313k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$28,089
Earnings (5yr)
$48,663
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,943
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (2yr)
$44,170
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology
BachCIP: 3903
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$413k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,844
Earnings (5yr)
$48,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,979
Earnings (5yr)
$71,540
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$23,616
Earnings (5yr)
$50,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Theological and Ministerial Studies
BachCIP: 3906
Median Debt
$25,279
Earnings (5yr)
$41,607
Lifetime Value Added
-$227k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$33,225
Earnings (5yr)
$77,312
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,731
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$51,043
Earnings (5yr)
$53,970
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$43,318
Earnings (5yr)
$56,315
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k

Doctoral Degrees

Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
DocCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$228,375
Earnings (5yr)
$133,913
Lifetime Value Added
+$424k

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.