College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Southern Connecticut State University

New Haven, CT 6,180 Undergrads 54.8% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$28,592
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$20,877
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,043
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$20,877
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$55,043
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate54.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients41.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time87.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
81.1%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$478k
+$81k
-$7k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$403k
+$6k
-$82k
Full Cost$29k/yr
+$375k
-$22k
-$109k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
Never
-109%
Full Cost$29k/yr
Never
-106%
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-94%

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-77%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,545
Earnings (5yr)
$61,609
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$67,809
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$52,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$19,872
Earnings (5yr)
$67,435
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$24,713
Earnings (5yr)
$78,251
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$49,949
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$23,986
Earnings (5yr)
$44,909
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$20,976
Earnings (5yr)
$47,210
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$20,101
Earnings (2yr)
$19,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$364k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (5yr)
$47,918
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
BachCIP: 3103
Median Debt
$24,931
Earnings (5yr)
$50,895
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$21,212
Earnings (2yr)
$35,420
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,464
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$57,386
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$92,153
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (5yr)
$49,077
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,090
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,869
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,533
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (5yr)
$55,954
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$52,973
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$29,500
Earnings (5yr)
$89,060
Lifetime Value Added
+$307k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$32,996
Earnings (5yr)
$68,110
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$35,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,984
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$95,128
Lifetime Value Added
+$359k
Library Science and Administration
MastCIP: 2501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,169
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
MastCIP: 3103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,849
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,555
Lifetime Value Added
+$174k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$106,421
Lifetime Value Added
+$512k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$23,120
Earnings (5yr)
$63,134
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$39,563
Earnings (5yr)
$57,955
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$66,245
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k

Graduate Certificates

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Gr-CertCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Gr-CertCIP: 5102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
Education, General
Gr-CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,291
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Educational Administration and Supervision
Gr-CertCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$31,946
Earnings (5yr)
$94,669
Lifetime Value Added
+$451k
Special Education and Teaching
Gr-CertCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Gr-CertCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,217
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
Gr-CertCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,986
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k

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.