College ROI

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South University-Richmond

Glen Allen, VA 232 Undergrads 29.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$36,577
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$30,442
After Aid
Median Earnings
$68,975
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$30,442
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$68,975
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate29.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients51.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time72.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS56.8%

Admissions Profile

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

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
+$606k
+$139k
+$122k
Median Cost$30k/yr
+$496k
+$30k
+$12k
Full Cost$37k/yr
+$474k
+$7k
-$10k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$30k/yr
56
11%
Full Cost$37k/yr
Never
-8%
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 Return80%

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-35%
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

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,681
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$27,848
Earnings (4yr)
$36,905
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k

Bachelor's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$46,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,445
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$42,354
Earnings (4yr)
$46,322
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$39,675
Earnings (4yr)
$46,885
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$47,778
Earnings (4yr)
$47,390
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$45,268
Earnings (4yr)
$58,915
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$44,548
Earnings (4yr)
$39,694
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$228k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$38,888
Earnings (4yr)
$45,993
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$23,592
Earnings (4yr)
$91,363
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k

Master's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$139,314
Earnings (4yr)
$129,131
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$438k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$46,193
Earnings (4yr)
$74,209
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,950
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
Information Science/Studies
MastCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$43,847
Earnings (4yr)
$78,782
Natl Median: $112,705
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$62,262
Earnings (4yr)
$55,052
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$59,405
Earnings (4yr)
$119,307
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$353k

Graduate Certificates

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Gr-CertCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$46,988
Earnings (4yr)
$120,256
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$485k

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.