College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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St. Mary's University

San Antonio, TX 1,911 Undergrads 59.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$46,368
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,352
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,955
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$21,352
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$56,955
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate59.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients41.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS72.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
88.9%
SAT Avg
989
SAT Reading
25th: 500-75th: 590
SAT Math
25th: 480-75th: 560
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
+$493k
+$97k
+$9k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$416k
+$20k
-$68k
Full Cost$46k/yr
+$326k
-$70k
-$158k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
54
Median Cost$21k/yr
Never
-89%
Full Cost$46k/yr
Never
-95%
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-80%

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-82%
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)
$81,824
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,849
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,255
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,049
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,608
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$25,067
Earnings (5yr)
$43,974
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,831
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$25,389
Earnings (5yr)
$83,119
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,625
Earnings (5yr)
$56,554
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,487
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$24,267
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$204k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,436
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (5yr)
$57,741
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,812
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Security Science and Technology
BachCIP: 4304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$233k

Master's Degrees

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$52,375
Earnings (2yr)
$59,124
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
International Relations and National Security Studies
MastCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$88,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$299k

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$145,002
Earnings (5yr)
$87,931
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k

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.