College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Radford University

Radford, VA 6,038 Undergrads 60.5% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
Share
Total Cost
$28,405
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,578
After Aid
Median Earnings
$57,832
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,578
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$57,832
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$53,739
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate60.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
89.5%
SAT Avg
1,060
SAT Reading
25th: 49051575th: 600
SAT Math
25th: 45053575th: 560
ACT Composite
25th: 192175th: 26

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
+$518k
+$51k
+$34k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$466k
-$1k
-$19k
Full Cost$28k/yr
+$416k
-$51k
-$68k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
41
∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-36%
Full Cost$28k/yr
Never
-67%
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-25%

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-59%
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

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,029
Natl Median: $38,675
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,335
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,217
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$78,780
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$68,364
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,751
Earnings (4yr)
$51,266
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Median Debt
$22,499
Earnings (4yr)
$67,246
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (2yr)
$37,568
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,523
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,805
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,932
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Median Debt
$20,342
Earnings (4yr)
$53,171
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$24,636
Earnings (4yr)
$87,740
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$56,996
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$327k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,856
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,725
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$25,565
Earnings (4yr)
$69,943
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Median Debt
$20,697
Earnings (4yr)
$39,085
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Median Debt
$24,900
Earnings (4yr)
$72,364
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,679
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,422
Natl Median: $54,945
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,552
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,075
Earnings (4yr)
$51,144
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Median Debt
$28,750
Earnings (4yr)
$48,566
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,188
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,088
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,369
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,981
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,785
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Median Debt
$23,288
Earnings (4yr)
$50,057
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,280
Earnings (4yr)
$47,586
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,743
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,083
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,375
Earnings (4yr)
$64,901
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,935
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Median Debt
$18,953
Earnings (4yr)
$81,120
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,727
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$24,994
Earnings (4yr)
$47,716
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,122
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,887
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,863
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,346
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,260
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,875
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,623
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,439
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$97,314
Earnings (4yr)
$121,569
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$401k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,608
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$43,089
Earnings (4yr)
$65,739
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,083
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$24,096
Earnings (4yr)
$54,836
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$76,151
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,947
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$311k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,554
Earnings (4yr)
$79,566
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$31,722
Earnings (4yr)
$71,566
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Median Debt
$30,016
Earnings (4yr)
$123,832
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$421k
Median Debt
$60,807
Earnings (4yr)
$78,332
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$61,332
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,439
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$201k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,651
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,509
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
DocCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $108,962
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$90,018
Earnings (4yr)
$77,775
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k

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.