College ROI

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Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster

Lancaster, PA 1,280 Undergrads 67.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$35,543
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$29,148
After Aid
Median Earnings
$85,385
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$29,148
Peer Midpoint: $9,956
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$85,385
Peer Midpoint: $51,775
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$85,980
Peer Midpoint: $45,130
Graduation Rate67.6%
Peer Midpoint: 35.7%
Average Starting Age21.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients48.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time37.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS88.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
41.2%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 2 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
+$848k
+$324k
+$362k
Median Cost$29k/yr
+$795k
+$271k
+$308k
Full Cost$36k/yr
+$783k
+$259k
+$297k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
22
∞
Median Cost$29k/yr
24
576%
Full Cost$36k/yr
25
455%
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 Return988%

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 Return199%

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 →

Certificates

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109

Earnings shared by 2 Saint Joseph's University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$87,103
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
Not scored

Not scored. Graduates of this program earn more than graduates of the school's associate degree in the same field, and about 1.5× the national median for this credential. That usually means students arrived already holding a degree or years of work experience. Our model assumes a student starting right after high school, so it can't measure what this program added. Earnings are as reported by the College Scorecard. Run it with your own cost and expected pay →

Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5110

Earnings shared by 2 Saint Joseph's University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,123
Natl Median: $38,675
Lifetime Value Added
+$322k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,283
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109

Earnings shared by 2 Saint Joseph's University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (4yr)
$71,592
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$200k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138

Earnings shared by 2 Saint Joseph's University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$88,101
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$348k

Bachelor's Degrees

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601

Earnings shared by 2 Saint Joseph's University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$26,816
Earnings (4yr)
$82,769
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,168
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 5199

Earnings shared by 2 Saint Joseph's University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$85,690
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138

Earnings shared by 2 Saint Joseph's University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$86,383
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k

Master's Degrees

Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107

Earnings shared by 2 Saint Joseph's University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,525
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,487
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$52,632
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.