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Southern Adventist University
Collegedale, TN 2,773 Undergrads 60.9% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$38,618
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$24,345
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,282
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$24,345
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,282
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate60.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients32.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time89.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.9%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
65.5%
SAT Avg
1,129
SAT Reading
25th: 530-75th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 490-75th: 640
ACT Composite
25th: 19-75th: 25
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
+$515k
+$55k
+$38k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$428k
-$33k
-$50k
Full Cost$39k/yr
+$376k
-$84k
-$101k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
40
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-57%
Full Cost$39k/yr
Never
-73%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year 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 Return-41%
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-71%
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
Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection
AssocCIP: 4604
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $59,378
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
AssocCIP: 5102
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $40,082
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $72,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$75,891
Nat: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$234k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
AssocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $43,854
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Bible/Biblical Studies
BachCIP: 3902
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $44,533
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings
-
Nat: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,307
Nat: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
BachCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $50,523
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other
BachCIP: 1199
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $77,632
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $49,113
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
BachCIP: 5218
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $75,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology, Other
BachCIP: 3199
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $42,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$83,525
Nat: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Religious Education
BachCIP: 3904
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $43,633
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$51,516
Nat: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,975
Earnings (4yr)
$59,895
Nat: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$24,249
Earnings (4yr)
$50,119
Nat: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Theological and Ministerial Studies
BachCIP: 3906
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Nat: $44,535
Lifetime Value Added
-$254k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $80,809
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
MastCIP: 5299
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $96,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$54,950
Earnings (4yr)
$54,779
Nat: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
+$581
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
MastCIP: 5207
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $97,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Finance and Financial Management Services
MastCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
MastCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $86,219
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $79,106
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$50,978
Earnings (4yr)
$112,639
Nat: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$506k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$52,732
Nat: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Graduate Certificates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Gr-CertCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Professional Degrees
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
ProfCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $133,099
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, 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 should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.