College ROI

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Southern Wesleyan University

Central, SC 747 Undergrads 53.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$42,296
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,041
After Aid
Median Earnings
$51,388
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,041
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$51,388
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$48,710
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate53.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age26.3
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 Recipients49.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time78.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS67.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
99.5%
SAT Avg
1,140
SAT Reading
25th: 53054975th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 51052575th: 590
ACT Composite
25th: 222175th: 28

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
+$459k
-$11k
-$28k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$401k
-$69k
-$85k
Full Cost$42k/yr
+$307k
-$164k
-$180k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
Never
-148%
Full Cost$42k/yr
Never
-118%
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-120%

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-90%

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 →

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,824
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k

Bachelor's Degrees

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,882
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$62,278
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,309
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$358k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,534
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,528
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology, Other
BachCIP: 3199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,573
Natl Median: $42,573
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$16,169
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
-$378k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,662
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$263k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,138
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$83,798
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,845
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,410
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,963
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$44,530
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,550
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.