College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Southwestern College

Winfield, KS 1,026 Undergrads 42.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$53,677
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$27,310
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,646
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$27,310
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$55,646
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate42.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients39.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time61.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
65.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -51075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -50575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -1975th: -

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
+$483k
+$86k
-$2k
Median Cost$27k/yr
+$384k
-$12k
-$100k
Full Cost$54k/yr
+$289k
-$107k
-$195k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$27k/yr
Never
-102%
Full Cost$54k/yr
Never
-101%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year 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-92%

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-87%
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

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$22,584
Earnings (5yr)
$63,197
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
BachCIP: 5299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,713
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other
BachCIP: 1199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$61,516
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,894
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,772
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,923
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,052
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$45,905
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$59,169
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,904
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$37,287
Earnings (5yr)
$72,039
Lifetime Value Added
+$149k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,782
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Social Sciences, Other
MastCIP: 4599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,310
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, 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 should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.