College ROI

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South College

Knoxville, TN 8,745 Undergrads 44.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$30,954
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,858
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,540
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$17,858
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$52,540
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+43%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$36,642
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate44.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age27.9
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients49.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time80.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS63.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$475k
+$8k
-$10k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$410k
-$56k
-$74k
Full Cost$31k/yr
+$363k
-$103k
-$121k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-115%
Full Cost$31k/yr
Never
-109%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-99%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-80%
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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (4yr)
$36,738
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,444
Natl Median: $52,207
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,417
Earnings (4yr)
$46,109
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Median Debt
$19,916
Earnings (4yr)
$53,367
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,951
Earnings (4yr)
$61,037
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,642
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$194k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,361
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,414
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,713
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,167
Earnings (4yr)
$77,096
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Public Administration
PB-CertCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,234
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$159,756
Earnings (4yr)
$127,468
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$447k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$339k

Graduate Certificates

Public Administration
Gr-CertCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,022
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $127,648
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$127,893
Natl Median: $138,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$78,243
Natl Median: $81,641
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k

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.