College ROI

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Southern Utah University

Cedar City, UT 9,289 Undergrads 58.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$19,416
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,462
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,189
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,462
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$59,189
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$50,296
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate58.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.3
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time84.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS68.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
81.8%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -58075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -55575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2375th: -

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
+$529k
+$62k
+$45k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$492k
+$25k
+$7k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$459k
-$8k
-$25k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
39
∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
57
19%
Full Cost$19k/yr
Never
-36%
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 Return38%

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-33%
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

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,863
Natl Median: $47,863
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $29,202
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$7,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,906
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,438
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Air Transportation
AssocCIP: 4901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$87,845
Natl Median: $75,495
Lifetime Value Added
+$377k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,378
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$8,702
Earnings (4yr)
$47,382
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$10,550
Earnings (4yr)
$78,586
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$157k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,314
Natl Median: $53,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$13,125
Earnings (4yr)
$57,709
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,924
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,849
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,450
Earnings (4yr)
$44,461
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,081
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$149k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,405
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Median Debt
$16,701
Earnings (4yr)
$60,008
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,163
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,419
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,952
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Engineering Science
BachCIP: 1413
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,782
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$81,628
Natl Median: $80,526
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$38,210
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Median Debt
$12,917
Earnings (4yr)
$36,654
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$100,149
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$322k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$30,166
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$244k
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,654
Natl Median: $54,945
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,457
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,327
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Median Debt
$14,200
Earnings (4yr)
$54,147
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,485
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,998
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,309
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$9,250
Earnings (4yr)
$42,393
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,908
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,765
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (4yr)
$57,058
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,243
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Median Debt
$14,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,357
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$14,739
Earnings (4yr)
$92,785
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$96,757
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $121,855
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$14,798
Earnings (4yr)
$83,304
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
+$75k
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
$17,000
Earnings (4yr)
$77,113
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,555
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.