College ROI

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Southwest Minnesota State University

Marshall, MN 2,315 Undergrads 46.7% Grad Rate
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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: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$55,009
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$51,342
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate46.7%
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 Age22.6
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
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
+$495k
+$28k
+$11k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$440k
-$27k
-$44k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$406k
-$61k
-$78k

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
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).⚠️ 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-59%

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-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, 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.

Certificates

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
CertCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,570
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,179
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,400
Natl Median: $66,647
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
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
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,654
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,668
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$59,824
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
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
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
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
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
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$13,875
Earnings (4yr)
$83,735
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$179k
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
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
Median Debt
$21,977
Earnings (4yr)
$43,904
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,219
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,259
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,751
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

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 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.