College ROI

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South College

Knoxville, TN 8,745 Undergrads 44.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$30,485
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,273
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,760
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$17,273
Peer Midpoint: $9,956
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$53,760
Peer Midpoint: $51,775
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$45,099
Peer Midpoint: $45,130
Graduation Rate44.8%
Peer Midpoint: 35.7%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average starting age (2015-17)27.9
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 Recipients45.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time80.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS63.9%

Admissions Profile

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

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 2 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
+$561k
+$37k
+$75k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$530k
+$6k
+$43k
Full Cost$30k/yr
+$505k
-$19k
+$19k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
36
136%
Full Cost$30k/yr
46
34%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ 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

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 Return161%

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-22%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

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 (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
$22,419
Earnings (4yr)
$46,109
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Median Debt
$24,125
Earnings (4yr)
$53,367
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Median Debt
$23,984
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$61,037
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,916
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,619
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 (5yr)
$71,498
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$208k
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
-$193k
Median Debt
$27,142
Earnings (4yr)
$55,361
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,829
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Median Debt
$39,870
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (2yr)
$29,141
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$263k
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,209
Earnings (4yr)
$77,096
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$191,578
Earnings (4yr)
$127,468
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$449k
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
$30,553
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 (5yr)
$48,280
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$266k

Graduate Certificates

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

Professional Degrees

Median Debt
$258,983
Earnings (4yr)
$127,893
Natl Median: $138,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$239k
Median Debt
$133,907
Earnings (4yr)
$78,243
Natl Median: $81,641
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k

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.