Roanoke College

Salem, VA 1,767 Undergrads 69.8% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$54,283

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$24,503

After Aid

Median Earnings

$56,840

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$24,503

Peer Midpoint: $20,081

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation

$56,840

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment

$58,047

Peer Midpoint: $53,763

Graduation Rate69.8%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age19.9

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients24.7%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time98.0%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS76.9%

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

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

+$510k

+$43k

+$26k

Median Cost$25k/yr

+$422k

-$45k

-$62k

Full Cost$54k/yr

+$315k

-$152k

-$170k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$25k/yr

Never

-71%

Full Cost$54k/yr

Never

-87%

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-68%

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-81%

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

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

BachCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $70,786

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

BachCIP: 2602

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

-$75k

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$26,000

Earnings (4yr)

$69,323

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

+$36k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

$26,820

Earnings (4yr)

$76,198

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

+$89k

Computer and Information Sciences, General

BachCIP: 1101

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

Criminal Justice and Corrections

BachCIP: 4301

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$58,040

Natl Median: $55,378

Lifetime Value Added

-$53k

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

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

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

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

-$194k

International Relations and National Security Studies

BachCIP: 4509

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $66,596

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

BachCIP: 5213

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

Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General

BachCIP: 3000

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$50,074

Natl Median: $50,532

Lifetime Value Added

-$118k

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$54,957

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

-$78k

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

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$71,604

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

+$54k

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$49,018

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$127k

Religion/Religious Studies

BachCIP: 3802

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,390

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

BachCIP: 2313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$43,974

Natl Median: $48,471

Lifetime Value Added

-$170k

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

$27,000

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

-$40k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

BachCIP: 3105

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$65,112

Natl Median: $54,562

Lifetime Value Added

+$4k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

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. 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.