College ROI

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Samford University

Birmingham, AL 4,206 Undergrads 76.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$57,456
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$32,622
After Aid
Median Earnings
$66,567
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$32,622
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$66,567
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$58,469
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate76.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.2
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients11.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
82.4%
SAT Avg
1,201
SAT Reading
25th: 55061575th: 640
SAT Math
25th: 52058075th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: 222675th: 28

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
+$587k
+$121k
+$103k
Median Cost$33k/yr
+$470k
+$3k
-$14k
Full Cost$57k/yr
+$381k
-$86k
-$104k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
32
∞
Median Cost$33k/yr
Never
-12%
Full Cost$57k/yr
Never
-50%
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 Return-2%

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-63%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$90,572
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$169k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,800
Earnings (4yr)
$76,584
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$273k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Physics
BachCIP: 1412
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,154
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$93,444
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,945
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,937
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,809
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$18,120
Earnings (4yr)
$50,652
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,266
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,839
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$119,888
Natl Median: $116,539
Lifetime Value Added
+$392k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,896
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$338k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$72,517
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Religious Music and Worship
BachCIP: 3905
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,456
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,117
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,171
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,629
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$92,202
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$119,341
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$349k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,010
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,341
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,955
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,523
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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)
$122,699
Natl Median: $101,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$378k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,204
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Nutrition Sciences
MastCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,126
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$92,506
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Median Debt
$110,952
Earnings (4yr)
$127,084
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$416k
Median Debt
$138,310
Earnings (4yr)
$85,180
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Religious Music and Worship
MastCIP: 3905
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,264
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$46,834
Earnings (4yr)
$55,271
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,220
Earnings (4yr)
$54,714
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$49,054
Earnings (4yr)
$50,016
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$73,798
Earnings (4yr)
$105,374
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Law
DocCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$108,958
Earnings (4yr)
$91,687
Natl Median: $105,518
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Median Debt
$212,943
Earnings (4yr)
$132,942
Natl Median: $136,696
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
Median Debt
$42,973
Earnings (4yr)
$101,915
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$81,398
Natl Median: $90,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,406
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.