College ROI

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Savannah College of Art and Design

Savannah, GA 15,243 Undergrads 69.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$63,627
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$49,430
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,980
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$49,430
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$47,980
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$45,954
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate69.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.0
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time87.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS55.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
83.0%
SAT Avg
1,173
SAT Reading
25th: 540-75th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 490-75th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: 21-75th: 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
+$437k
-$30k
-$48k
Median Cost$49k/yr
+$259k
-$208k
-$226k
Full Cost$64k/yr
+$208k
-$259k
-$277k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$49k/yr
Never
-127%
Full Cost$64k/yr
Never
-121%
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-128%

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-97%
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: $33,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,334
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,666
Earnings (4yr)
$55,925
Natl Median: $57,640
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$64,052
Natl Median: $70,074
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Median Debt
$25,666
Earnings (4yr)
$26,064
Natl Median: $44,889
Lifetime Value Added
-$415k
Median Debt
$26,200
Earnings (4yr)
$45,923
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$243k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$35,177
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$335k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$128,600
Natl Median: $64,926
Lifetime Value Added
+$397k
Median Debt
$25,905
Earnings (4yr)
$41,651
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$279k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,153
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$284k
Median Debt
$25,300
Earnings (4yr)
$43,058
Natl Median: $43,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,728
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,499
Earnings (4yr)
$113,397
Natl Median: $50,526
Lifetime Value Added
+$283k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,506
Earnings (4yr)
$64,076
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,189
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$224k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$56,138
Earnings (4yr)
$72,490
Natl Median: $64,913
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation
MastCIP: 0408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,042
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$76,406
Earnings (4yr)
$77,917
Natl Median: $77,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
MastCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$48,856
Earnings (4yr)
$51,406
Natl Median: $59,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$284k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,591
Natl Median: $64,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Median Debt
$47,833
Earnings (4yr)
$103,650
Natl Median: $121,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
Median Debt
$82,741
Earnings (4yr)
$65,866
Natl Median: $70,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Median Debt
$81,865
Earnings (4yr)
$47,617
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$321k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,142
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$95,380
Earnings (4yr)
$53,996
Natl Median: $51,486
Lifetime Value Added
-$259k
Median Debt
$81,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,129
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
-$394k
Median Debt
$99,295
Earnings (4yr)
$51,962
Natl Median: $57,810
Lifetime Value Added
-$279k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,169
Natl Median: $64,496
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $122,873
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$65,832
Earnings (4yr)
$81,814
Natl Median: $75,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,625
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,897
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.