College ROI

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Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg, PA 4,086 Undergrads 55.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$30,785
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,726
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,882
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,726
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$59,882
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$56,351
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate55.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.2
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients31.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
86.5%
SAT Avg
1,120
SAT Reading
25th: -54075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -53575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 16-75th: 28

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
+$535k
+$68k
+$50k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$449k
-$17k
-$35k
Full Cost$31k/yr
+$424k
-$43k
-$60k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-41%
Full Cost$31k/yr
Never
-55%
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-4%

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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Certificates

Area Studies
CertCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,845
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$57,518
Natl Median: $58,705
Lifetime Value Added
+$149k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,242
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,696
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
CertCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$26,319
Earnings (4yr)
$70,459
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,286
Earnings (4yr)
$62,124
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Median Debt
$24,518
Earnings (4yr)
$68,919
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$90,384
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$200k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$56,376
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,040
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (4yr)
$41,226
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$67,926
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$71,432
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$39,127
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,193
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,310
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$24,759
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,760
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,570
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,955
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$22,954
Earnings (4yr)
$69,153
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,227
Earnings (4yr)
$57,130
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$91,610
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,295
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,607
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,025
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,607
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,029
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$259k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,794
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$26,865
Earnings (4yr)
$47,841
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,069
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,330
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Median Debt
$23,541
Earnings (4yr)
$49,039
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k

Master's Degrees

Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$94,657
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,696
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$274k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,069
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,863
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,824
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
-$480k
Median Debt
$23,300
Earnings (4yr)
$71,938
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,205
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
-$320k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,019
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$241k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$28,606
Earnings (4yr)
$56,543
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,037
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Median Debt
$44,715
Earnings (4yr)
$55,325
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,650
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,178
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.