College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Rockhurst University

Kansas City, MO 1,702 Undergrads 73.2% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$57,712
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,165
After Aid
Median Earnings
$67,102
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,165
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$67,102
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate73.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients28.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS87.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
69.0%
SAT Avg
1,218
SAT Reading
25th: 55358975th: 638
SAT Math
25th: 56359775th: 608
ACT Composite
25th: 222375th: 27

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
+$571k
+$175k
+$87k
Median Cost$23k/yr
+$488k
+$92k
+$4k
Full Cost$58k/yr
+$364k
-$33k
-$121k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
Median Cost$23k/yr
61
4%
Full Cost$58k/yr
Never
-58%
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-17%

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-68%
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

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,211
Lifetime Value Added
-$801
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,491
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,603
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,968
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,189
Earnings (5yr)
$54,348
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$73,735
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$18,938
Earnings (5yr)
$60,482
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$230k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,091
Earnings (5yr)
$115,838
Lifetime Value Added
+$532k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$50,102
Earnings (5yr)
$69,236
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$125,080
Lifetime Value Added
+$611k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$75,495
Earnings (5yr)
$68,477
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k

Doctoral Degrees

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$108,000
Earnings (5yr)
$78,507
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k

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.