College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, IA 2,101 Undergrads 65.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$50,018
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,750
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,531
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,750
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$59,531
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate65.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients27.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
73.3%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -55075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -56075th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2475th: -

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
+$513k
+$117k
+$29k
Median Cost$23k/yr
+$431k
+$35k
-$53k
Full Cost$50k/yr
+$333k
-$63k
-$151k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
43
Median Cost$23k/yr
Never
-65%
Full Cost$50k/yr
Never
-84%
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-62%

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-78%
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
$23,152
Earnings (5yr)
$77,333
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,850
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,648
Earnings (5yr)
$69,091
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,739
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,474
Earnings (5yr)
$55,506
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$26,600
Earnings (5yr)
$63,210
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,093
Earnings (5yr)
$64,849
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,188
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$252k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$78,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,847
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,250
Earnings (5yr)
$46,094
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,373
Lifetime Value Added
+$272k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$29,574
Earnings (5yr)
$105,954
Lifetime Value Added
+$449k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$62,250
Earnings (5yr)
$65,117
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$22,054
Earnings (2yr)
$41,025
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Lifetime Value Added
+$171k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$76,173
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$43,492
Earnings (5yr)
$58,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k

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.