College ROI

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Sacred Heart University

Fairfield, CT 7,087 Undergrads 72.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$71,445
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$45,827
After Aid
Median Earnings
$79,517
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$45,827
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$79,517
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$80,896
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate72.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)20.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients17.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS84.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
65.4%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$679k
+$209k
+$192k
Median Cost$46k/yr
+$514k
+$44k
+$27k
Full Cost$71k/yr
+$422k
-$48k
-$65k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$46k/yr
52
17%
Full Cost$71k/yr
Never
-25%
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 Return42%

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-53%

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 →

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$79,048
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$93,380
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$364k
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Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$91,777
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
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Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$76,507
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$72,404
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
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Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$74,883
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,697
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,068
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
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Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,384
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$93,209
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
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Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,710
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$24,249
Earnings (4yr)
$80,970
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
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Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,399
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
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Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$94,733
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$156k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,998
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
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History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,092
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
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Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,514
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,879
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,373
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
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Median Debt
$26,295
Earnings (4yr)
$103,244
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$24,375
Earnings (4yr)
$58,384
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
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Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,183
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$117,457
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$309k
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Median Debt
$158,876
Earnings (4yr)
$145,964
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$556k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$100,796
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
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Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$66,974
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
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Median Debt
$47,833
Earnings (4yr)
$71,882
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$155,112
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$608k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,083
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$80,320
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,601
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$201k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $51,486
Lifetime Value Added
-$482k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$90,874
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$109,545
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$240k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,441
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,642
Natl Median: $67,681
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
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Psychology, Other
MastCIP: 4299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$78,644
Natl Median: $61,796
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
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Median Debt
$31,500
Earnings (4yr)
$71,686
Natl Median: $80,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$36,567
Earnings (4yr)
$125,904
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$383k
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Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$80,626
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$113,199
Natl Median: $82,399
Lifetime Value Added
+$272k
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Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$52,592
Earnings (4yr)
$59,036
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
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Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,196
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$33,052
Earnings (4yr)
$103,998
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
+$319k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $118,893
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,117
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
Gr-CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,837
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$62,012
Natl Median: $69,444
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
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Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
$68,125
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$76,500
Earnings (4yr)
$85,946
Natl Median: $81,641
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
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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.