College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Rhodes College

Memphis, TN 1,931 Undergrads 83.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$68,055
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,060
After Aid
Median Earnings
$66,651
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$25,060
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$66,651
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate83.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients14.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
49.7%
SAT Avg
1,385
SAT Reading
25th: 65070575th: 730
SAT Math
25th: 64070575th: 760
ACT Composite
25th: 283075th: 33

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
+$568k
+$172k
+$84k
Median Cost$25k/yr
+$478k
+$81k
-$7k
Full Cost$68k/yr
+$323k
-$73k
-$161k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$25k/yr
Never
-7%
Full Cost$68k/yr
Never
-66%
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-32%

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

Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,653
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,810
Earnings (5yr)
$60,895
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,920
Earnings (5yr)
$83,816
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$25,982
Earnings (2yr)
$61,516
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$89,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$172k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,545
Earnings (5yr)
$57,062
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$246k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$23,104
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$285k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$22,072
Earnings (5yr)
$64,958
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (2yr)
$26,739
Lifetime Value Added
-$312k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (5yr)
$77,515
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,589
Earnings (5yr)
$54,788
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$94,916
Lifetime Value Added
+$350k

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.