College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Spalding University

Louisville, KY 597 Undergrads 52.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$43,474
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$24,264
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,438
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$24,264
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$49,438
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate52.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time85.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
98.6%
SAT Avg
1,014
SAT Reading
25th: 42851575th: 570
SAT Math
25th: 42550075th: 533
ACT Composite
25th: 162075th: 22

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
+$433k
+$36k
-$52k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$345k
-$51k
-$139k
Full Cost$43k/yr
+$276k
-$120k
-$208k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-159%
Full Cost$43k/yr
Never
-133%
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-145%

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-97%
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

Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$29,208
Earnings (5yr)
$56,799
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$28,250
Earnings (5yr)
$41,998
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$20,667
Earnings (5yr)
$73,154
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k

Master's Degrees

Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$28,160
Earnings (5yr)
$76,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$195k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,712
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$108,696
Lifetime Value Added
+$469k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$68,393
Earnings (5yr)
$64,512
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$51,250
Earnings (5yr)
$53,149
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$31,688
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$30,366
Earnings (2yr)
$59,124
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,044
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k

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.