College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Roanoke College

Salem, VA 1,767 Undergrads 68.3% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$55,155
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,867
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,809
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$25,867
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$60,809
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$64,329
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate68.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.9
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients27.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
83.1%
SAT Avg
1,211
SAT Reading
25th: 56059075th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 53056575th: 640
ACT Composite
25th: 242575th: 31

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
+$535k
+$65k
+$49k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$442k
-$28k
-$44k
Full Cost$55k/yr
+$337k
-$133k
-$149k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
∞
Median Cost$26k/yr
Never
-47%
Full Cost$55k/yr
Never
-75%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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-48%

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-76%

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 →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,246
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,323
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$76,198
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,040
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,735
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,210
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,074
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$54,957
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$71,604
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,018
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,974
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,580
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$65,112
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
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.