College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, MO 6,373 Undergrads 54.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$27,192
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,110
After Aid
Median Earnings
$51,125
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$17,110
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$51,125
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$48,748
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate54.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)21.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients38.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS66.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
73.5%
SAT Avg
950
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 151775th: 20

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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$457k
-$13k
-$30k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$395k
-$75k
-$91k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$359k
-$111k
-$128k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$17k/yr
Never
-148%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-130%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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-134%

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-86%

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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,019
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,195
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,776
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
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Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$15,420
Earnings (4yr)
$69,868
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
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Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,078
Natl Median: $66,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,207
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
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Median Debt
$18,321
Earnings (4yr)
$59,834
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,563
Earnings (4yr)
$47,813
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
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Median Debt
$17,412
Earnings (4yr)
$51,817
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
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Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$93,795
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$252k
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Median Debt
$16,886
Earnings (4yr)
$106,797
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$351k
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Median Debt
$23,100
Earnings (4yr)
$47,934
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
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Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Physics
BachCIP: 1412
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,154
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
$62,781
Natl Median: $80,526
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,356
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,634
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,776
Earnings (4yr)
$41,619
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$78,407
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
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Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$36,531
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
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Median Debt
$21,375
Earnings (4yr)
$57,260
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
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Median Debt
$21,563
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,728
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,527
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
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Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (4yr)
$80,820
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,481
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
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Median Debt
$22,121
Earnings (4yr)
$45,383
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
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Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$16,794
Earnings (4yr)
$61,400
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,266
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
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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
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,265
Natl Median: $56,567
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
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Median Debt
$14,986
Earnings (4yr)
$66,799
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,704
Earnings (4yr)
$44,580
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
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Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,082
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
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Median Debt
$18,911
Earnings (4yr)
$85,155
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,761
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
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Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,318
Earnings (4yr)
$43,260
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
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Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,163
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$19,268
Earnings (4yr)
$51,828
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
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Median Debt
$19,400
Earnings (4yr)
$37,245
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
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Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$37,112
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k
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Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$33,293
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$236k
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Master's Degrees

Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,073
Earnings (4yr)
$102,877
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k
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Median Debt
$23,286
Earnings (4yr)
$71,839
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
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Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,835
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$232k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,493
Earnings (4yr)
$54,344
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$198k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Nutrition Sciences
MastCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,126
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$93,342
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,985
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$328k
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Median Debt
$40,401
Earnings (4yr)
$61,570
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,332
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$266k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,117
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,147
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,444
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 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.