College ROI

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Southern Oregon University

Ashland, OR 2,751 Undergrads 53.3% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$32,229
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$20,998
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,127
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$20,998
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$55,127
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$54,657
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate53.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age24.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time82.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS66.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
88.6%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -56575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -54075th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2275th: -

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
+$489k
+$19k
+$3k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$414k
-$56k
-$72k
Full Cost$32k/yr
+$374k
-$97k
-$113k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
60
∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
Never
-96%
Full Cost$32k/yr
Never
-97%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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-80%

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%

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 →

Bachelor's Degrees

Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,619
Earnings (4yr)
$63,008
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$837
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,171
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,602
Earnings (4yr)
$49,511
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Median Debt
$29,934
Earnings (4yr)
$75,596
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Median Debt
$22,032
Earnings (4yr)
$59,008
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$38,487
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$205k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,150
Earnings (4yr)
$49,706
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Median Debt
$17,189
Earnings (5yr)
$35,431
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$238k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,580
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,195
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $118,943
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,748
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,763
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,201
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
Median Debt
$16,250
Earnings (4yr)
$44,945
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,135
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,217
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,526
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,982
Natl Median: $46,959
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,035
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$323k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$57,299
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Median Debt
$17,779
Earnings (4yr)
$53,584
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,044
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$38,792
Earnings (4yr)
$76,336
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$34,586
Earnings (4yr)
$64,128
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Median Debt
$60,415
Earnings (4yr)
$69,359
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,122
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
-$425k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,313
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,671
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Median Debt
$39,500
Earnings (4yr)
$60,530
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k

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.