College ROI

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Southern University and A & M College

Baton Rouge, LA 5,519 Undergrads 36.4% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$26,742
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,631
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,144
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,631
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$56,144
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$47,186
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate36.4%
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)21.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients76.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS57.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
35.1%
SAT Avg
942
SAT Reading
25th: 41047075th: 530
SAT Math
25th: 38043075th: 490
ACT Composite
25th: 151775th: 19

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
+$498k
+$28k
+$11k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$431k
-$39k
-$56k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$402k
-$69k
-$85k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
52
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-83%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-88%
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-61%

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-68%

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

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,159
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Median Debt
$26,350
Earnings (2yr)
$38,829
Natl Median: $53,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$26,250
Earnings (4yr)
$44,880
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,716
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$34,535
Earnings (4yr)
$68,016
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$29,900
Earnings (4yr)
$48,264
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$28,125
Earnings (4yr)
$51,611
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,951
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$27,167
Earnings (4yr)
$49,609
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$30,500
Earnings (5yr)
$93,149
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1901

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,596
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Median Debt
$26,875
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Forestry
BachCIP: 0305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$28,750
Earnings (4yr)
$56,097
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$29,250
Earnings (4yr)
$92,969
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$240k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$33,592
Earnings (4yr)
$50,616
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$28,875
Earnings (5yr)
$50,314
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,901
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$86,838
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,311
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,217
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$26,125
Earnings (4yr)
$43,844
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,081
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,918
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$243k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$47,131
Earnings (4yr)
$64,924
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$27,333
Earnings (4yr)
$56,111
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,610
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Forestry
MastCIP: 0305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$32,730
Earnings (4yr)
$55,482
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$120,049
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$382k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,909
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
-$326k
Social Sciences, General
MastCIP: 4501

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,520
Natl Median: $65,443
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Forestry
DocCIP: 0305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,046
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $108,943
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$42,888
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $119,220
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,168
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201

Earnings shared by 2 Southern University campuses, which report as one program.

Median Debt
$127,635
Earnings (4yr)
$67,462
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k

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.