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Simpson College
Indianola, IA 1,227 Undergrads 66.6% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$61,227
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,936
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,509
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$21,936
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$56,509
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate66.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS87.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
86.2%
SAT Avg
1,440
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
+$507k
+$41k
+$23k
Median Cost$22k/yr
+$428k
-$38k
-$56k
Full Cost$61k/yr
+$287k
-$180k
-$197k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
45
∞
Median Cost$22k/yr
Never
-71%
Full Cost$61k/yr
Never
-90%
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-74%
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-83%
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 (4yr)
$76,272
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,644
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$60,908
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$69,958
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$93,749
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$232k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$91,318
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$26,250
Earnings (4yr)
$57,279
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,639
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Human Services, General
BachCIP: 4400
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$25,836
Earnings (4yr)
$46,237
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,097
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
BachCIP: 3000
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$29,151
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$294k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,790
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,966
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,219
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Security Science and Technology
BachCIP: 4304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,392
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,919
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$25,672
Earnings (4yr)
$46,495
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,696
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Post-Baccalaureate Certificates
Accounting and Related Services
PB-CertCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,165
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Master's Degrees
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,713
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$231k
Graduate Certificates
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Gr-CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Other Programs
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
DegCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,802
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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.