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Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA 3,629 Undergrads 84.9% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$85,202
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$45,409
After Aid
Median Earnings
$82,939
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$45,409
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$82,939
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate84.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS82.7%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
49.9%
SAT Avg
1,367
SAT Reading
25th: 63067075th: 710
SAT Math
25th: 62068075th: 740
ACT Composite
25th: 262875th: 32
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
+$688k
+$292k
+$204k
Median Cost$45k/yr
+$525k
+$128k
+$40k
Full Cost$85k/yr
+$382k
-$15k
-$103k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$45k/yr
49
25%
Full Cost$85k/yr
Never
-34%
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 Return28%
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-57%
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 (5yr)
$104,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$91,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$66,858
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$41,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$272k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$83,724
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,781
Lifetime Value Added
-$339k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,336
Earnings (5yr)
$78,198
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$25,722
Earnings (5yr)
$58,137
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,871
Lifetime Value Added
-$275k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,815
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$23,625
Earnings (5yr)
$81,421
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,580
Earnings (5yr)
$63,882
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$24,112
Earnings (5yr)
$75,482
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$21,125
Earnings (5yr)
$59,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$23,013
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$358k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$97,638
Earnings (5yr)
$142,013
Lifetime Value Added
+$714k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$82,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,962
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,384
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,248
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$69,120
Earnings (2yr)
$122,038
Lifetime Value Added
+$608k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$62,720
Earnings (5yr)
$68,070
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Public Policy Analysis
MastCIP: 4405
Median Debt
$60,660
Earnings (5yr)
$90,495
Lifetime Value Added
+$274k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$61,036
Earnings (5yr)
$71,444
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Doctoral Degrees
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
DocCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$193,904
Earnings (5yr)
$110,056
Lifetime Value Added
+$206k
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$107,675
Earnings (5yr)
$119,380
Lifetime Value Added
+$274k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
DocCIP: 1305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$103,746
Lifetime Value Added
+$206k
Law
DocCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$154,886
Earnings (5yr)
$125,875
Lifetime Value Added
+$320k
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.