College ROI

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Shenandoah University

Winchester, VA 2,116 Undergrads 67.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$53,540
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$31,149
After Aid
Median Earnings
$65,422
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$31,149
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$65,422
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$66,382
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate67.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)21.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients23.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
77.0%
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
+$572k
+$102k
+$85k
Median Cost$31k/yr
+$460k
-$10k
-$27k
Full Cost$54k/yr
+$379k
-$91k
-$107k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
∞
Median Cost$31k/yr
Never
-24%
Full Cost$54k/yr
Never
-56%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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-13%

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-67%

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 →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,391
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,570
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $28,811
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$66,070
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
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Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$66,673
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,290
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
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Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,035
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$201k
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Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,457
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$224k
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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
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$30,758
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$309k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,490
Natl Median: $62,172
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,144
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
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Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,767
Earnings (4yr)
$91,096
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
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
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,373
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
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Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$230k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$102,221
Earnings (4yr)
$112,829
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$296k
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Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
MastCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,813
Earnings (4yr)
$91,996
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,109
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$205k
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Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,709
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
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Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,787
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$336k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$125,241
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$383k
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Median Debt
$59,783
Earnings (4yr)
$72,233
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$155,136
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$812k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,852
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,147
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,843
Natl Median: $63,709
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
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Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,068
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
DocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,592
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$79,054
Earnings (4yr)
$87,908
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,168
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
$136,167
Earnings (4yr)
$136,637
Natl Median: $138,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$253k
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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.