College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA 1,254 Undergrads 62.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$56,353
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,618
After Aid
Median Earnings
$62,092
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,618
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$62,092
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate62.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS85.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
75.9%
SAT Avg
1,057
SAT Reading
25th: 50057375th: 590
SAT Math
25th: 47053875th: 590
ACT Composite
25th: 142175th: 22

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
+$533k
+$137k
+$49k
Median Cost$23k/yr
+$452k
+$55k
-$33k
Full Cost$56k/yr
+$330k
-$66k
-$154k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
Median Cost$23k/yr
Never
-40%
Full Cost$56k/yr
Never
-76%
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-49%

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-76%
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
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,068
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$69,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$60,842
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$92,987
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,229
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,351
Lifetime Value Added
-$334k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$79,969
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,121
Lifetime Value Added
-$309k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,825
Earnings (5yr)
$42,805
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$95,489
Lifetime Value Added
+$228k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,582
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,990
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,777
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$82,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,068
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$50,086
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k

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.