College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg, PA 4,179 Undergrads 56.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$29,480
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,553
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,351
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,553
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$56,351
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate56.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients31.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
85.5%
SAT Avg
1,090
SAT Reading
25th: 50054075th: 610
SAT Math
25th: 49053575th: 600
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$488k
+$92k
+$4k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$403k
+$7k
-$81k
Full Cost$29k/yr
+$382k
-$14k
-$102k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
59
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-96%
Full Cost$29k/yr
Never
-96%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year 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-77%

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-73%
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

Certificates

Geography and Cartography
CertCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$60,719
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$26,319
Earnings (5yr)
$72,328
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,286
Earnings (5yr)
$64,132
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$24,518
Earnings (5yr)
$70,082
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$84,509
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
Computer Systems Analysis
BachCIP: 1105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$88,575
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$56,669
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,040
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (5yr)
$46,672
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,935
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,335
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,193
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,207
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,186
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,429
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$77,338
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,736
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$22,954
Earnings (5yr)
$60,732
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$23,227
Earnings (5yr)
$63,079
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,410
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Public Administration
BachCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,025
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,029
Lifetime Value Added
-$258k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,737
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$26,865
Earnings (5yr)
$43,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$23,541
Earnings (5yr)
$46,546
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (5yr)
$90,947
Lifetime Value Added
+$318k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,696
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$263k
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$23,300
Earnings (5yr)
$63,340
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
MastCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,205
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,019
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$28,606
Earnings (5yr)
$57,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,037
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$44,715
Earnings (5yr)
$58,618
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,388
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, 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 should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.