College ROI

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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Edwardsville, IL 8,750 Undergrads 59.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$28,919
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,889
After Aid
Median Earnings
$65,199
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,889
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$65,199
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$56,346
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate59.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients32.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time85.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
97.5%
SAT Avg
1,100
SAT Reading
25th: 49053075th: 600
SAT Math
25th: 46051075th: 590
ACT Composite
25th: 202375th: 27

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
+$577k
+$110k
+$92k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$523k
+$56k
+$39k
Full Cost$29k/yr
+$473k
+$6k
-$12k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
44
73%
Full Cost$29k/yr
Never
-11%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return76%

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-32%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,610
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$23,752
Earnings (4yr)
$44,974
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$60,059
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Median Debt
$20,625
Earnings (4yr)
$65,403
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Median Debt
$19,275
Earnings (4yr)
$74,248
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,541
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$20,264
Earnings (4yr)
$85,969
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$198k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,466
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,615
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Median Debt
$21,637
Earnings (4yr)
$73,513
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Median Debt
$20,770
Earnings (4yr)
$94,494
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$263k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$21,551
Earnings (4yr)
$106,082
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$351k
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$95,430
Natl Median: $93,843
Lifetime Value Added
+$270k
Median Debt
$22,375
Earnings (4yr)
$57,915
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,166
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$39,698
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$99,325
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$300k
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$41,310
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Median Debt
$26,125
Earnings (4yr)
$36,717
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$198k
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$75,877
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$18,992
Earnings (4yr)
$46,814
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$82,744
Natl Median: $98,442
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,376
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,600
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Median Debt
$21,774
Earnings (4yr)
$81,428
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,649
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,991
Earnings (4yr)
$55,110
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$46,196
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$23,396
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$52,564
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,375
Earnings (4yr)
$48,951
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,652
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Median Debt
$18,249
Earnings (4yr)
$83,867
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,480
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,465
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Median Debt
$16,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,928
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,355
Earnings (4yr)
$49,837
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,916
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,735
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$14,077
Earnings (4yr)
$92,327
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,011
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Median Debt
$21,537
Earnings (4yr)
$106,907
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,643
Earnings (4yr)
$55,894
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,608
Earnings (4yr)
$57,089
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$74,576
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$94,737
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,487
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $119,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,106
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,520
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,882
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Median Debt
$33,859
Earnings (4yr)
$74,407
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$108,768
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$290k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,821
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$308k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,048
Earnings (4yr)
$62,412
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$59,145
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Museology/Museum Studies
Gr-CertCIP: 3014
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,250
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$70,163
Earnings (4yr)
$157,682
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$466k

Professional Degrees

Dentistry
ProfCIP: 5104
Median Debt
$252,399
Earnings (4yr)
$184,815
Natl Median: $170,812
Lifetime Value Added
+$665k
Median Debt
$127,762
Earnings (4yr)
$135,751
Natl Median: $138,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$305k

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,735
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.