Southern Virginia University

Buena Vista, VA 936 Undergrads 47.7% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$34,431

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$22,213

After Aid

Median Earnings

$44,267

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,213

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$44,267

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate47.7%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients44.2%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time97.5%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS61.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

96.4%

SAT Avg

SAT Reading

25th: -57175th: -

SAT Math

25th: -55275th: -

ACT Composite

25th: -2275th: -

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

+$405k

-$62k

-$79k

Median Cost$22k/yr

+$325k

-$142k

-$159k

Full Cost$34k/yr

+$281k

-$186k

-$203k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

Never

-∞

Median Cost$22k/yr

Never

-199%

Full Cost$34k/yr

Never

-164%

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 Return-195%

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-104%

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

Area Studies

BachCIP: 0501

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,625

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

BachCIP: 2602

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,466

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business/Commerce, General

BachCIP: 5201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$56,726

Natl Median: $68,407

Lifetime Value Added

-$55k

Computer Science

BachCIP: 1107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $107,009

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,775

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$33,115

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

-$255k

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

BachCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,568

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$17,125

Earnings (4yr)

$40,419

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

-$192k

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Philosophy

BachCIP: 3801

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,455

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$36,808

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$223k

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,389

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Visual and Performing Arts, General

BachCIP: 5001

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,688

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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.