College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Simpson College

Indianola, IA 1,130 Undergrads 68.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$58,937
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,231
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,274
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,231
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$59,274
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate68.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS87.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
88.9%
SAT Avg
1,410
SAT Reading
25th: -52575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -56075th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 312475th: 33

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
+$511k
+$115k
+$27k
Median Cost$22k/yr
+$431k
+$35k
-$53k
Full Cost$59k/yr
+$299k
-$97k
-$185k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
44
Median Cost$22k/yr
Never
-66%
Full Cost$59k/yr
Never
-87%
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-69%

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-82%
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
$19,586
Earnings (5yr)
$77,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$60,908
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$66,834
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$99,317
Lifetime Value Added
+$258k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (2yr)
$74,576
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$26,250
Earnings (5yr)
$55,995
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,639
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,150
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$210k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$25,836
Earnings (5yr)
$40,292
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,025
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$29,151
Lifetime Value Added
-$295k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,268
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,609
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,392
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$25,672
Earnings (5yr)
$47,295
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,965
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k

Master's Degrees

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,105
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k

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.