College ROI

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Southern University at New Orleans

New Orleans, LA 1,055 Undergrads 36.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$23,905
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,810
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,240
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,810
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$47,240
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+39%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$34,042
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate36.0%
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 Age26.0
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients67.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time85.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS49.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
78.9%
SAT Avg
944
SAT Reading
25th: 410-75th: 540
SAT Math
25th: 410-75th: 510
ACT Composite
25th: 15-75th: 20

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$430k
-$36k
-$54k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$377k
-$90k
-$107k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$344k
-$123k
-$140k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-201%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-163%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-187%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-95%
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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,734
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,350
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Median Debt
$29,808
Earnings (4yr)
$42,068
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Median Debt
$28,864
Earnings (4yr)
$44,723
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$29,811
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,788
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$35,250
Earnings (4yr)
$47,390
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$36,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,226
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,119
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$28,125
Earnings (4yr)
$39,139
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$32,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,709
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $104,114
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $105,177
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,864
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,875
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$48,318
Earnings (4yr)
$53,762
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$198k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,692
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,119
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k

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.