College ROI

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Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre

Dallas, PA 313 Undergrads 26.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$25,994
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,448
After Aid
Median Earnings
$76,659
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,448
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$76,659
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate26.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
97.0%
SAT Avg
1,200
SAT Reading
25th: 550-75th: 680
SAT Math
25th: 540-75th: 650
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
+$665k
+$198k
+$180k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$606k
+$139k
+$121k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$571k
+$104k
+$87k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
34
205%
Full Cost$26k/yr
39
93%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return271%

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 Return27%
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

Associate's Degrees

Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$17,701
Earnings (4yr)
$61,596
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,570
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Information Science/Studies
AssocCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,394
Natl Median: $56,799
Lifetime Value Added
+$200k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,654
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k

Bachelor's Degrees

Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$25,593
Earnings (4yr)
$65,292
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Business/Corporate Communications
BachCIP: 5205
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,840
Natl Median: $65,784
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,505
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,877
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$93,277
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$248k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,299
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,755
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$25,950
Earnings (4yr)
$91,671
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,918
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,543
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,635
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Surveying Engineering
BachCIP: 1438
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$77,094
Natl Median: $78,638
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k

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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.