College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, MO 7,267 Undergrads 75.0% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$71,932
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$24,398
After Aid
Median Earnings
$77,024
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$24,398
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$77,024
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$70,783
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate75.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients23.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS84.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
75.0%
SAT Avg
1,317
SAT Reading
25th: 60066575th: 700
SAT Math
25th: 60066075th: 710
ACT Composite
25th: 253075th: 31

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
+$668k
+$201k
+$183k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$580k
+$113k
+$95k
Full Cost$72k/yr
+$409k
-$58k
-$76k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
38
109%
Full Cost$72k/yr
Never
-29%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return36%

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-54%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,445
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,962
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$90,963
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$202k
Median Debt
$26,421
Earnings (5yr)
$92,038
Natl Median: $98,207
Lifetime Value Added
+$196k
Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$83,903
Natl Median: $85,825
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$77,671
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,997
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,517
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,713
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$86,844
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Median Debt
$34,391
Earnings (4yr)
$91,483
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$206k
Median Debt
$23,462
Earnings (4yr)
$80,588
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,477
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,231
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$57,787
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Median Debt
$25,096
Earnings (4yr)
$63,475
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$90,660
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$199k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$91,081
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$203k
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$61,099
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,604
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$313k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$42,112
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$73,446
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Engineering Physics
BachCIP: 1412
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,154
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,769
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,895
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,593
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$93,647
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$222k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,202
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
BachCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $87,441
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,911
Earnings (5yr)
$67,569
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,545
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Homeland Security
BachCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,193
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$76,354
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$92,270
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,964
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Median Debt
$42,125
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,920
Earnings (4yr)
$86,238
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$166k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$24,002
Earnings (4yr)
$72,251
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,468
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Median Debt
$25,029
Earnings (4yr)
$99,331
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$266k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,386
Earnings (4yr)
$67,287
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,467
Earnings (4yr)
$58,862
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,652
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Median Debt
$22,002
Earnings (4yr)
$81,525
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Median Debt
$25,247
Earnings (4yr)
$70,351
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,943
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,875
Earnings (4yr)
$56,306
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,406
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,316
Earnings (4yr)
$77,066
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,535
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,018
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$108,781
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$272k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$313,933
Natl Median: $235,700
Lifetime Value Added
+$1972k
Air Transportation
MastCIP: 4901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,104
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$107,293
Earnings (4yr)
$121,868
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$386k
Area Studies
MastCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,936
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,482
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,121
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$46,053
Earnings (4yr)
$110,691
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$289k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,837
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,665
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,076
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$137,327
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$520k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminology
MastCIP: 4504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Dentistry
MastCIP: 5104
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$200,627
Natl Median: $327,492
Lifetime Value Added
+$1032k
Median Debt
$34,462
Earnings (4yr)
$60,464
Natl Median: $62,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,644
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$102,295
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$54,500
Earnings (4yr)
$99,472
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Homeland Security
MastCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$145,325
Natl Median: $97,121
Lifetime Value Added
+$564k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,441
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$56,500
Earnings (4yr)
$76,995
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Median Debt
$65,361
Earnings (4yr)
$111,664
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$297k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$73,296
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,216
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,240
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
-$300k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,443
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$53,322
Earnings (4yr)
$57,853
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,897
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
$140,441
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $207,164
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Gerontology
Gr-CertCIP: 3011
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,464
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$114,892
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$484k

Doctoral Degrees

Area Studies
DocCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,249
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $102,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,683
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,983
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,578
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,031
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$85,005
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,630
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,831
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
DocCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,610
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Law
DocCIP: 2201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$98,725
Natl Median: $105,518
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Marketing
DocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $146,358
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
DocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Medicine
DocCIP: 5112
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$92,454
Natl Median: $118,504
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,066
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $108,943
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
DocCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,449
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
DocCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $108,962
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $119,220
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$108,649
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$84,751
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,410
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
DocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,739
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,982
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$99,458
Earnings (4yr)
$93,029
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$239,229
Earnings (4yr)
$101,722
Natl Median: $112,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k

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.