College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Samford University

Birmingham, AL 3,828 Undergrads 75.4% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$53,934
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$30,795
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,469
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$30,795
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,469
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate75.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients10.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
82.2%
SAT Avg
1,203
SAT Reading
25th: 55061575th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 52058075th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: 232675th: 29

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
+$505k
+$108k
+$21k
Median Cost$31k/yr
+$394k
-$2k
-$90k
Full Cost$54k/yr
+$311k
-$86k
-$174k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
46
Median Cost$31k/yr
Never
-81%
Full Cost$54k/yr
Never
-89%
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-72%

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-82%
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

Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$22,800
Earnings (5yr)
$65,015
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$85,275
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,586
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,750
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$18,120
Earnings (5yr)
$49,222
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (2yr)
$37,748
Lifetime Value Added
-$233k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
BachCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$139,665
Lifetime Value Added
+$527k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,896
Lifetime Value Added
-$331k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,186
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$47,284
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$84,371
Lifetime Value Added
+$249k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,851
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,148
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$110,952
Earnings (5yr)
$116,262
Lifetime Value Added
+$522k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$31,220
Earnings (5yr)
$54,800
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Theological and Ministerial Studies
MastCIP: 3906
Median Debt
$49,054
Earnings (5yr)
$59,090
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k

Doctoral Degrees

Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$73,798
Earnings (5yr)
$88,734
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Law
DocCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$108,958
Earnings (5yr)
$82,757
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
DocCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$212,943
Earnings (5yr)
$140,893
Lifetime Value Added
+$481k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
DocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$42,973
Earnings (5yr)
$111,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$271k

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.