College ROI

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Shaw University

Raleigh, NC 875 Undergrads 22.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$31,486
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$24,242
After Aid
Median Earnings
$44,273
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$24,242
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$44,273
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$38,822
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate22.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average starting age (2015-17)21.3
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients68.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS41.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
80.2%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$399k
-$71k
-$87k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$312k
-$158k
-$174k
Full Cost$31k/yr
+$286k
-$184k
-$200k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-200%
Full Cost$31k/yr
Never
-177%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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-214%

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-107%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,377
Earnings (4yr)
$47,401
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$28,545
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$303k
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
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,299
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,113
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,841
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$220k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,083
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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,981
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
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
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,010
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,414
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Religious Education
MastCIP: 3904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,328
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$59,000
Earnings (2yr)
$31,305
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$425k

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.