College ROI

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Pepperdine University

Malibu, CA 3,553 Undergrads 84.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$93,512
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$58,098
After Aid
Median Earnings
$84,459
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$58,098
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$84,459
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$82,939
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate84.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.9
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients20.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS82.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
62.9%
SAT Avg
1,384
SAT Reading
25th: 65067075th: 710
SAT Math
25th: 64068075th: 740
ACT Composite
25th: 292875th: 32

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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$724k
+$257k
+$240k
Median Cost$58k/yr
+$515k
+$48k
+$31k
Full Cost$94k/yr
+$388k
-$79k
-$97k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
∞
Median Cost$58k/yr
53
15%
Full Cost$94k/yr
Never
-29%
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 Return36%

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-55%
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

Certificates

Dispute Resolution
CertCIP: 3028
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,844
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$104,343
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,379
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$91,227
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$66,858
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$50,594
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$104,943
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$187k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,781
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$385k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$100,595
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$25,722
Earnings (4yr)
$62,495
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,801
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,815
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $118,943
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,612
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,053
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,625
Earnings (4yr)
$75,954
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,580
Earnings (4yr)
$61,353
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Median Debt
$24,112
Earnings (4yr)
$81,417
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Median Debt
$21,125
Earnings (4yr)
$55,432
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,013
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$404k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,336
Earnings (4yr)
$65,100
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,060
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
MastCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,936
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$97,638
Earnings (4yr)
$141,949
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$498k
Median Debt
$82,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,729
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Dispute Resolution
MastCIP: 3028
Median Debt
$98,500
Earnings (4yr)
$110,166
Natl Median: $74,725
Lifetime Value Added
+$222k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,384
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$95,306
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$69,120
Earnings (4yr)
$123,307
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$337k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,121
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$107,520
Earnings (4yr)
$73,551
Natl Median: $101,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$62,720
Earnings (4yr)
$52,526
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$289k
Median Debt
$60,660
Earnings (4yr)
$81,037
Natl Median: $93,020
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Real Estate
MastCIP: 5215
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $135,104
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,036
Earnings (4yr)
$64,374
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$193,904
Earnings (4yr)
$103,432
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Median Debt
$107,675
Earnings (4yr)
$120,410
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$133,031
Natl Median: $89,809
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Law
DocCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$154,886
Earnings (4yr)
$126,561
Natl Median: $105,518
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k

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.