College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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St. Augustine College

Chicago, IL 787 Undergrads 33.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$23,043
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,491
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,337
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,491
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$40,337
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate33.7%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients74.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time61.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS52.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$436k
-$79k
-$48k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$408k
-$108k
-$77k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$394k
-$122k
-$91k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-270%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-214%
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-286%

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-113%
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

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$24,487
Natl Median: $47,037
Lifetime Value Added
-$244k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,662
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,164
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,609
Natl Median: $33,199
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$2,274
Earnings (4yr)
$39,620
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,384
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,186
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,599
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k

Bachelor's Degrees

Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$4,545
Earnings (4yr)
$49,406
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,983
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$229k

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.