Shepherd University

Shepherdstown, WV 2,344 Undergrads 50.8% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$19,601

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$11,363

After Aid

Median Earnings

$55,251

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,363

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$55,251

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate50.8%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients34.3%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time91.6%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS72.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

96.8%

SAT Avg

1,034

SAT Reading

25th: 46855575th: 600

SAT Math

25th: 41051575th: 540

ACT Composite

25th: 192375th: 24

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

+$497k

+$30k

+$13k

Median Cost$11k/yr

+$456k

-$11k

-$28k

Full Cost$20k/yr

+$427k

-$40k

-$58k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$11k/yr

Never

-69%

Full Cost$20k/yr

Never

-82%

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-43%

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-55%

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

Accounting and Related Services

BachCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$71,328

Natl Median: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

+$88k

Applied Mathematics

BachCIP: 2703

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $91,532

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

$19,100

Earnings (5yr)

$57,987

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

-$15k

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$17,677

Earnings (4yr)

$62,588

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

+$31k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

$19,225

Earnings (4yr)

$50,353

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

-$69k

Computer and Information Sciences, General

BachCIP: 1101

Median Debt

$21,500

Earnings (4yr)

$74,218

Natl Median: $92,374

Lifetime Value Added

+$121k

Computer Engineering

BachCIP: 1409

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $109,015

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$36,674

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

-$173k

Engineering Science

BachCIP: 1413

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $93,782

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

$18,360

Earnings (4yr)

$38,581

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

-$169k

Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General

BachCIP: 1901

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$27,439

Natl Median: $48,460

Lifetime Value Added

-$256k

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

$21,500

Earnings (4yr)

$50,124

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

-$71k

Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General

BachCIP: 5100

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (4yr)

$56,953

Natl Median: $61,296

Lifetime Value Added

-$14k

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$48,786

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

-$90k

International/Globalization Studies

BachCIP: 3020

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $59,972

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$21,350

Earnings (4yr)

$49,153

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

-$79k

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (4yr)

$46,797

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

-$99k

Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies

BachCIP: 3101

Median Debt

$22,625

Earnings (4yr)

$51,789

Natl Median: $50,983

Lifetime Value Added

-$57k

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$21,449

Earnings (4yr)

$41,344

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$145k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

BachCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$24,875

Earnings (4yr)

$78,764

Natl Median: $88,910

Lifetime Value Added

+$156k

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Social Work

BachCIP: 4407

Median Debt

$21,565

Earnings (4yr)

$48,122

Natl Median: $51,790

Lifetime Value Added

-$87k

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

$18,500

Earnings (4yr)

$63,412

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

+$38k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$19,813

Earnings (4yr)

$48,992

Natl Median: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

-$80k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations

MastCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$27,490

Earnings (4yr)

$83,114

Natl Median: $103,485

Lifetime Value Added

+$71k

Curriculum and Instruction

MastCIP: 1303

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,399

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Student Counseling and Personnel Services

MastCIP: 1311

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$53,606

Natl Median: $60,111

Lifetime Value Added

-$193k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

MastCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$40,188

Natl Median: $59,916

Lifetime Value Added

-$308k

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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.