College ROI

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Savannah College of Art and Design

Savannah, GA 14,423 Undergrads 69.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$59,670
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$45,450
After Aid
Median Earnings
$45,954
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$45,450
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$45,954
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate69.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time87.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS55.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
83.7%
SAT Avg
1,178
SAT Reading
25th: 550-75th: 670
SAT Math
25th: 500-75th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: 21-75th: 28

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
+$404k
+$8k
-$80k
Median Cost$45k/yr
+$241k
-$156k
-$244k
Full Cost$60k/yr
+$190k
-$207k
-$295k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$45k/yr
Never
-149%
Full Cost$60k/yr
Never
-137%
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-155%

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-103%
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

Apparel and Textiles
BachCIP: 1909
Median Debt
$25,666
Earnings (5yr)
$57,108
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Architectural Sciences and Technology
BachCIP: 0409
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,427
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1002
Median Debt
$25,666
Earnings (5yr)
$38,034
Lifetime Value Added
-$303k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$26,200
Earnings (5yr)
$43,503
Lifetime Value Added
-$257k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$33,955
Lifetime Value Added
-$337k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services
BachCIP: 1902
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$310k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$25,905
Earnings (5yr)
$44,203
Lifetime Value Added
-$251k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$34,897
Lifetime Value Added
-$329k
Graphic Communications
BachCIP: 1003
Median Debt
$25,300
Earnings (5yr)
$49,365
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$24,506
Earnings (5yr)
$64,724
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$30,561
Lifetime Value Added
-$367k

Master's Degrees

Apparel and Textiles
MastCIP: 1909
Median Debt
$56,138
Earnings (5yr)
$53,305
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Architectural Sciences and Technology
MastCIP: 0409
Median Debt
$76,406
Earnings (5yr)
$74,185
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management
MastCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$48,856
Earnings (5yr)
$54,180
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
MastCIP: 1002
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,449
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
MastCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$47,833
Earnings (5yr)
$110,872
Lifetime Value Added
+$449k
Design and Applied Arts
MastCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$82,741
Earnings (5yr)
$60,114
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
MastCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$81,865
Earnings (5yr)
$39,340
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
MastCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$95,380
Earnings (5yr)
$53,241
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Fine and Studio Arts
MastCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$81,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,744
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Graphic Communications
MastCIP: 1003
Median Debt
$99,295
Earnings (2yr)
$34,526
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k
Historic Preservation and Conservation
MastCIP: 3012
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,992
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
MastCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$65,832
Earnings (5yr)
$77,499
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k

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.