College ROI

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Shenandoah University

Winchester, VA 2,116 Undergrads 66.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$51,928
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$30,298
After Aid
Median Earnings
$65,784
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$30,298
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$65,784
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$58,433
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate66.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients22.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.8%

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
+$581k
+$115k
+$97k
Median Cost$30k/yr
+$472k
+$6k
-$12k
Full Cost$52k/yr
+$395k
-$72k
-$90k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
32
∞
Median Cost$30k/yr
Never
-11%
Full Cost$52k/yr
Never
-48%
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 Return2%

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-61%
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: $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

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$87,914
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,706
Earnings (4yr)
$66,070
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,673
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
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
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$63,290
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,029
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$334k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,457
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
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
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$30,758
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$305k
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
-$103k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,144
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,571
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$91,096
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$197k
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
$25,432
Earnings (4yr)
$64,373
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,178
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$104,000
Earnings (4yr)
$112,829
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$297k
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
MastCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$39,115
Earnings (4yr)
$91,996
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,109
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$27,108
Earnings (4yr)
$68,709
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,050
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,787
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$333k
Median Debt
$49,022
Earnings (5yr)
$121,059
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$348k
Median Debt
$58,924
Earnings (4yr)
$72,233
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
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
$28,198
Earnings (4yr)
$155,136
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$812k
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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,709
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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
$114,000
Earnings (4yr)
$87,908
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,168
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
$162,106
Earnings (4yr)
$136,637
Natl Median: $138,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k

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.