College ROI

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Saginaw Valley State University

University Center, MI 5,989 Undergrads 54.6% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$27,690
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,147
After Aid
Median Earnings
$61,185
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,147
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$61,185
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$55,838
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate54.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)21.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients39.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
72.1%
SAT Avg
1,052
SAT Reading
25th: 48053075th: 600
SAT Math
25th: 44052075th: 570
ACT Composite
25th: 182275th: 26

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
+$538k
+$68k
+$52k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$495k
+$25k
+$8k
Full Cost$28k/yr
+$439k
-$31k
-$48k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
56
19%
Full Cost$28k/yr
Never
-48%
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 Return8%

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-51%

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 →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$72,171
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,250
Earnings (4yr)
$54,038
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$65,594
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Median Debt
$24,326
Earnings (4yr)
$47,065
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,641
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,826
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Median Debt
$23,240
Earnings (4yr)
$53,825
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (4yr)
$90,681
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$246k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$72,888
Natl Median: $78,929
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (4yr)
$59,042
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$589
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$41,864
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$90,482
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$244k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,302
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,610
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,270
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,376
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$30,050
Earnings (4yr)
$42,803
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Median Debt
$24,663
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,558
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,783
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$83,873
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$194k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (5yr)
$60,229
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$636
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,595
Earnings (4yr)
$50,066
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,613
Earnings (4yr)
$81,103
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$70,081
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$50,875
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,409
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$233k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,371
Earnings (4yr)
$56,961
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,482
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$197k
Median Debt
$26,607
Earnings (4yr)
$50,078
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,662
Earnings (4yr)
$50,816
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Median Debt
$23,683
Earnings (4yr)
$48,561
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Median Debt
$25,010
Earnings (4yr)
$49,761
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$39,075
Earnings (4yr)
$82,773
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other
MastCIP: 1599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,422
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$69,953
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,487
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,633
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$45,526
Earnings (4yr)
$113,545
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$337k
Median Debt
$45,872
Earnings (4yr)
$70,336
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$34,255
Earnings (4yr)
$64,391
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,591
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,900
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,330
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k

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.