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Roger Williams University
Bristol, RI 3,957 Undergrads 64.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$60,180
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$38,123
After Aid
Median Earnings
$70,266
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$38,123
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$70,266
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate64.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients14.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
87.8%
SAT Avg
1,228
SAT Reading
25th: 580-75th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 550-75th: 640
ACT Composite
25th: 24-75th: 30
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
+$595k
+$199k
+$111k
Median Cost$38k/yr
+$458k
+$61k
-$27k
Full Cost$60k/yr
+$378k
-$18k
-$106k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$38k/yr
Never
-19%
Full Cost$60k/yr
Never
-49%
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-0%
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-63%
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
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$26,121
Earnings (5yr)
$94,185
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,296
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$70,611
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,554
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,861
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Construction Management
BachCIP: 5220
Median Debt
$25,745
Earnings (5yr)
$102,001
Lifetime Value Added
+$221k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,796
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
BachCIP: 2613
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,911
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$85,122
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Graphic Communications
BachCIP: 1003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,067
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$342k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
Legal Professions and Studies, Other
BachCIP: 2299
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$60,443
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Legal Support Services
BachCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,421
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,293
Earnings (5yr)
$77,106
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$86,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$25,714
Earnings (5yr)
$68,445
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,224
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$293k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$420k
Sociology and Anthropology
BachCIP: 4513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$322k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$26,949
Earnings (5yr)
$54,712
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$264k
Master's Degrees
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$61,236
Earnings (5yr)
$78,721
Lifetime Value Added
+$187k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$60,331
Earnings (5yr)
$63,527
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$122,459
Earnings (5yr)
$78,768
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
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.