College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Point Loma Nazarene University

San Diego, CA 3,132 Undergrads 76.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$56,664
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$50,168
After Aid
Median Earnings
$63,998
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$50,168
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$63,998
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate76.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients23.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time87.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
81.8%
SAT Avg
1,278
SAT Reading
25th: 59064075th: 710
SAT Math
25th: 55062075th: 700
ACT Composite
25th: 222675th: 30

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
+$548k
+$151k
+$63k
Median Cost$50k/yr
+$367k
-$29k
-$117k
Full Cost$57k/yr
+$344k
-$53k
-$140k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
36
Median Cost$50k/yr
Never
-65%
Full Cost$57k/yr
Never
-69%
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 Return-36%

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-73%
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)
$92,989
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$26,244
Earnings (5yr)
$67,791
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$406k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,216
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$55,709
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Business/Corporate Communications
BachCIP: 5205
Median Debt
$22,658
Earnings (5yr)
$59,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$50,181
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,941
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$116,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$288k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,937
Lifetime Value Added
-$265k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,128
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,984
Earnings (5yr)
$46,959
Lifetime Value Added
-$245k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,784
Earnings (5yr)
$108,557
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$34,519
Earnings (5yr)
$83,749
Lifetime Value Added
+$208k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$42,924
Earnings (5yr)
$73,246
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$50,562
Earnings (5yr)
$143,553
Lifetime Value Added
+$718k

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.