College ROI

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Rockford University

Rockford, IL 972 Undergrads 57.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$49,169
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,436
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,145
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,436
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$59,145
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$54,794
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate57.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients46.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
92.9%
SAT Avg
956
SAT Reading
25th: 45050575th: 535
SAT Math
25th: 40049575th: 535
ACT Composite
25th: 172175th: 23

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
+$529k
+$62k
+$44k
Median Cost$22k/yr
+$448k
-$19k
-$36k
Full Cost$49k/yr
+$352k
-$115k
-$132k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
39
∞
Median Cost$22k/yr
Never
-45%
Full Cost$49k/yr
Never
-75%
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-46%

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-74%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$237k
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,331
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,843
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,952
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,541
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Median Debt
$26,980
Earnings (4yr)
$70,537
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,793
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,600
Earnings (4yr)
$46,780
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$46,642
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$32,450
Earnings (4yr)
$90,776
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$118k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
MastCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,219
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,198
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$247k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
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.