College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Pillar College

Newark, NJ 498 Undergrads 38.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$38,047
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$8,470
After Aid
Median Earnings
$44,376
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$8,470
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$44,376
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate38.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients71.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS57.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
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
+$406k
-$61k
-$78k
Median Cost$8k/yr
+$376k
-$91k
-$109k
Full Cost$38k/yr
+$269k
-$198k
-$215k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$8k/yr
Never
-357%
Full Cost$38k/yr
Never
-157%
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 Return-185%

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-104%
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

Bible/Biblical Studies
AssocCIP: 3902
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,824
Natl Median: $41,884
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$12,988
Earnings (4yr)
$32,875
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k

Bachelor's Degrees

Bible/Biblical Studies
BachCIP: 3902
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,533
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$61,165
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations
BachCIP: 2902
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,803
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,892
Earnings (4yr)
$49,543
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k

Master's Degrees

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$51,250
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.