College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Wake Forest, NC 585 Undergrads 44.0% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
Share
Total Cost
$22,632
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,090
After Aid
Median Earnings
$69,450
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,090
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$69,450
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate44.0%
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 Age-
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients28.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time64.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS-

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
74.6%
SAT Avg
1,127
SAT Reading
25th: 540-75th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 460-75th: 590
ACT Composite
25th: 21-75th: 24

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
+$610k
+$143k
+$125k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$562k
+$96k
+$78k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$528k
+$61k
+$44k

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
31
∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
37
166%
Full Cost$23k/yr
45
54%
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 Return199%

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 Return8%
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,391
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
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)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,915
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,213
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,535
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,952
Natl Median: $63,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,204
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,024
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,322
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
MastCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,572
Natl Median: $57,737
Lifetime Value Added
-$266k
Religious Education
MastCIP: 3904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,328
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,527
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,812
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,129
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$95,347
Natl Median: $71,982
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k

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.