College ROI

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Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

Magnolia, AR 2,708 Undergrads 46.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$25,195
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,015
After Aid
Median Earnings
$50,614
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,015
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$50,614
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$46,635
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate46.1%
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 (2015-17)21.3
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients55.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS59.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
75.3%
SAT Avg
1,047
SAT Reading
25th: 45050075th: 565
SAT Math
25th: 42550075th: 540
ACT Composite
25th: 172075th: 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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$452k
-$18k
-$34k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$395k
-$75k
-$92k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$362k
-$108k
-$125k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
Never
-159%
Full Cost$25k/yr
Never
-138%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ 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

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-145%

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-87%

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 →

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: $79,727
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
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Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (4yr)
$46,771
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
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Median Debt
$21,950
Earnings (4yr)
$55,787
Natl Median: $66,647
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,779
Earnings (4yr)
$44,873
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,375
Earnings (4yr)
$47,979
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
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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
-$99k
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Median Debt
$20,100
Earnings (4yr)
$60,952
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
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Median Debt
$22,923
Earnings (4yr)
$44,523
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$33,649
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$229k
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Median Debt
$21,282
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
-$270k
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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
$30,486
Earnings (4yr)
$38,931
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$89,685
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$224k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (4yr)
$42,925
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
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Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$70,185
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$75k
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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 (5yr)
$42,763
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,125
Earnings (4yr)
$48,662
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
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Median Debt
$19,808
Earnings (4yr)
$40,843
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
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Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,923
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,629
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,941
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$83,587
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
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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
-$240k
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Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,663
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
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Median Debt
$16,962
Earnings (4yr)
$49,718
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$241k
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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
-$121k
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Median Debt
$62,750
Earnings (4yr)
$52,584
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$213k
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Median Debt
$25,945
Earnings (4yr)
$49,419
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$243k
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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

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.