College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Southern University and A & M College

Baton Rouge, LA 5,323 Undergrads 37.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$26,076
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,740
After Aid
Median Earnings
$43,371
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,740
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$43,371
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate37.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients70.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time89.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS55.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
49.9%
SAT Avg
938
SAT Reading
25th: 41847375th: 510
SAT Math
25th: 38045575th: 490
ACT Composite
25th: 151775th: 19

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
+$383k
-$13k
-$101k
Median Cost$20k/yr
+$312k
-$84k
-$172k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$289k
-$107k
-$195k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$20k/yr
Never
-243%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-208%
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-264%

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-115%
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

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (5yr)
$53,349
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Agriculture, General
BachCIP: 0100
Median Debt
$26,514
Earnings (2yr)
$38,829
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$227k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$29,067
Earnings (5yr)
$45,773
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$28,750
Earnings (5yr)
$51,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$31,125
Earnings (2yr)
$49,019
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$39,279
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$28,750
Earnings (2yr)
$32,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$241k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$27,125
Earnings (5yr)
$40,654
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,037
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1901
Median Debt
$33,458
Earnings (5yr)
$42,923
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$24,990
Lifetime Value Added
-$322k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$28,437
Earnings (5yr)
$88,564
Lifetime Value Added
+$187k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$36,603
Earnings (5yr)
$38,700
Lifetime Value Added
-$205k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (5yr)
$37,100
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (5yr)
$81,687
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$35,071
Earnings (5yr)
$42,345
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,421
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$29,216
Earnings (5yr)
$45,709
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$49,378
Earnings (5yr)
$69,272
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$47,498
Earnings (5yr)
$57,835
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$36,250
Earnings (5yr)
$44,317
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,368
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,538
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$45,137
Earnings (5yr)
$66,719
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$120,958
Lifetime Value Added
+$582k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,909
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$118,010
Earnings (5yr)
$74,244
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k

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.