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Southwest Minnesota State University
Marshall, MN 2,315 Undergrads 46.7% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$24,757
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,291
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,009
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$15,291
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$55,009
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate46.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients38.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time71.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.6%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
62.2%
SAT Avg
1,050
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 16-75th: 23
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
+$495k
+$28k
+$11k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$440k
-$27k
-$44k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$406k
-$61k
-$78k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
52
∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-80%
Full Cost$25k/yr
Never
-88%
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-59%
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-65%
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
Certificates
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
CertCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
CertCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,570
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Associate's Degrees
Agricultural Business and Management
AssocCIP: 0101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,179
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Agricultural Business and Management
BachCIP: 0101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,400
Natl Median: $66,647
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Agricultural Public Services
BachCIP: 0108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,152
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$211k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,559
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,654
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
BachCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,668
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
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$59,824
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,896
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$275k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,720
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,747
Earnings (4yr)
$58,574
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,567
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
$25,125
Earnings (4yr)
$47,249
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$13,875
Earnings (4yr)
$83,735
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$179k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,740
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,467
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$24,883
Earnings (2yr)
$41,937
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,554
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$21,977
Earnings (4yr)
$43,904
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,219
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language
BachCIP: 1314
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,259
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,009
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$17,448
Earnings (4yr)
$60,873
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,751
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Graduate Certificates
Educational Administration and Supervision
Gr-CertCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Professional Degrees
Educational Administration and Supervision
ProfCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,026
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Other Programs
Education, General
DegCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,645
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.