College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver

Monaca, PA 482 Undergrads 25.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$26,210
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,418
After Aid
Median Earnings
$76,659
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$17,418
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (10yr)$76,659
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate25.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
95.7%
SAT Avg
1,214
SAT Reading
25th: 530-75th: 630
SAT Math
25th: 550-75th: 660
ACT Composite
25th: 24-75th: 27

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
+$657k
+$197k
+$180k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$595k
+$135k
+$117k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$563k
+$103k
+$86k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
Median Cost$17k/yr
35
187%
Full Cost$26k/yr
39
91%
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 Return261%

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 Return19%
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

Certificates

Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,292
Nat: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$358k
Management Information Systems and Services
CertCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,794
Nat: $65,682
Lifetime Value Added
+$382k

Bachelor's Degrees

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,717
Earnings (4yr)
$64,910
Nat: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$25,593
Earnings (4yr)
$65,292
Nat: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,505
Nat: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,877
Nat: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$25,648
Earnings (4yr)
$81,092
Nat: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$141k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$75,396
Nat: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,755
Nat: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$25,950
Earnings (4yr)
$91,671
Nat: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$221k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,308
Nat: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,543
Nat: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$91,032
Nat: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k

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.