College ROI

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Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

Magnolia, AR 2,708 Undergrads 44.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$24,951
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,027
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,008
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,027
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$49,008
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$42,386
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate44.2%
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 Age21.3
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients52.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS61.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
75.3%
SAT Avg
1,047
SAT Reading
25th: 45051575th: 565
SAT Math
25th: 42552075th: 540
ACT Composite
25th: 172275th: 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
+$445k
-$22k
-$39k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$395k
-$72k
-$90k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$355k
-$111k
-$129k

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
Never
-∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-177%
Full Cost$25k/yr
Never
-144%
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 Return-155%

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 Return-89%
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.

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
AssocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,597
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,402
Natl Median: $79,637
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$14,848
Earnings (4yr)
$46,771
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Median Debt
$13,875
Earnings (4yr)
$55,787
Natl Median: $66,647
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,375
Earnings (4yr)
$44,873
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,861
Earnings (4yr)
$47,979
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,773
Natl Median: $51,936
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,952
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Median Debt
$23,199
Earnings (4yr)
$44,523
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Median Debt
$25,559
Earnings (4yr)
$33,649
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$28,938
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$262k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,125
Earnings (4yr)
$38,931
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
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
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$89,685
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,413
Earnings (4yr)
$42,925
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$70,185
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$286k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,662
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Median Debt
$17,122
Earnings (4yr)
$40,843
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,923
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,629
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,516
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,941
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,480
Earnings (4yr)
$83,587
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,597
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,737
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Median Debt
$31,062
Earnings (4yr)
$58,663
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Median Debt
$17,362
Earnings (4yr)
$49,718
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,260
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Median Debt
$63,324
Earnings (4yr)
$52,584
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
Median Debt
$24,625
Earnings (4yr)
$49,419
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$238k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,774
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,636
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,259
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.