College ROI

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Post University

Waterbury, CT 13,603 Undergrads 18.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$28,261
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$20,694
After Aid
Median Earnings
$62,409
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$20,694
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$62,409
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+40%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$44,639
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate18.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average starting age (2015-17)31.8
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients76.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time39.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS54.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$548k
+$78k
+$62k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$474k
+$4k
-$13k
Full Cost$28k/yr
+$446k
-$24k
-$40k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
36
∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
Never
-17%
Full Cost$28k/yr
Never
-39%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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 Return23%

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-48%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,616
Earnings (4yr)
$58,544
Natl Median: $61,907
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
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Median Debt
$14,250
Earnings (4yr)
$41,539
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
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Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$29,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,727
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
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Median Debt
$31,322
Earnings (4yr)
$58,801
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
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Median Debt
$32,125
Earnings (4yr)
$55,105
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
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Median Debt
$26,375
Earnings (4yr)
$36,280
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
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Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$28,832
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Non-Professional Legal Studies
AssocCIP: 2200
Median Debt
$29,500
Earnings (4yr)
$42,376
Natl Median: $41,222
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
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Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$38,750
Earnings (4yr)
$73,190
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
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Median Debt
$37,312
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,334
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,951
Earnings (4yr)
$69,512
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
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Median Debt
$31,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,913
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,308
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,781
Earnings (4yr)
$69,363
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
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Homeland Security
BachCIP: 4303
Median Debt
$26,994
Earnings (4yr)
$66,145
Natl Median: $70,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
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Median Debt
$49,594
Earnings (4yr)
$44,643
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
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Median Debt
$47,138
Earnings (4yr)
$51,181
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
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Median Debt
$35,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,249
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
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Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$29,294
Earnings (4yr)
$74,201
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
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Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
$43,162
Earnings (4yr)
$51,731
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$46,105
Earnings (4yr)
$49,393
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
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Median Debt
$11,777
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,606
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
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Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,709
Natl Median: $86,165
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$42,070
Earnings (4yr)
$95,184
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,289
Earnings (4yr)
$101,826
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
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Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$30,144
Earnings (4yr)
$65,752
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
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Median Debt
$49,501
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$68,436
Earnings (4yr)
$69,262
Natl Median: $57,050
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
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Median Debt
$47,701
Earnings (4yr)
$97,596
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
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Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,299
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$68,565
Earnings (4yr)
$77,373
Natl Median: $65,509
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
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Education, General
Gr-CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,448
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,166
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
Gr-CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,837
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,655
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 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.