College ROI

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Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine

Media, PA 1,223 Undergrads 29.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$31,088
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,585
After Aid
Median Earnings
$76,659
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,585
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$76,659
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$63,435
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate29.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age21.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
98.1%
SAT Avg
1,200
SAT Reading
25th: 550-75th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 530-75th: 660
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$665k
+$198k
+$180k
Median Cost$23k/yr
+$583k
+$117k
+$99k
Full Cost$31k/yr
+$553k
+$86k
+$69k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$23k/yr
37
122%
Full Cost$31k/yr
42
61%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return210%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return6%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$102,874
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
+$594k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,794
Natl Median: $65,682
Lifetime Value Added
+$390k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$17,701
Earnings (4yr)
$61,596
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$118k
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,394
Natl Median: $56,799
Lifetime Value Added
+$189k
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,654
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$26,971
Earnings (4yr)
$47,620
Natl Median: $49,880
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (2yr)
$17,396
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$389k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,717
Earnings (4yr)
$64,910
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Median Debt
$25,593
Earnings (4yr)
$65,292
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,403
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,505
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$120,729
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$435k
Median Debt
$26,471
Earnings (4yr)
$112,269
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$371k
Median Debt
$25,949
Earnings (4yr)
$88,063
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,299
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,943
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Median Debt
$25,950
Earnings (4yr)
$91,671
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$214k
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,195
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,308
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,543
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$76,246
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k

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. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. 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.