Sterling College

Sterling, KS 538 Undergrads 40.6% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$47,185

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$22,371

After Aid

Median Earnings

$44,980

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,371

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (10yr)$44,980

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate40.6%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients40.8%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time90.7%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS65.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

48.2%

SAT Avg

SAT Reading

25th: -53675th: -

SAT Math

25th: -54675th: -

ACT Composite

25th: -2275th: -

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

+$405k

-$55k

-$72k

Median Cost$22k/yr

+$325k

-$135k

-$153k

Full Cost$47k/yr

+$236k

-$224k

-$242k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

Never

-∞

Median Cost$22k/yr

Never

-190%

Full Cost$47k/yr

Never

-142%

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-162%

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-102%

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

Nat: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

BachCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $70,786

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other

BachCIP: 5299

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $69,830

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology

BachCIP: 4228

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $50,523

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

BachCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $55,378

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Design and Applied Arts

BachCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $51,490

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $39,775

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

BachCIP: 2613

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $48,842

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

BachCIP: 5207

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $61,027

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Film/Video and Photographic Arts

BachCIP: 5006

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $43,765

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health/Medical Preparatory Programs

BachCIP: 5111

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $61,911

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Biology

BachCIP: 3027

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $64,732

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Resources Management and Services

BachCIP: 5210

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $68,069

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Journalism

BachCIP: 0904

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $56,278

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

BachCIP: 5213

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $86,176

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Marketing

BachCIP: 5214

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $69,303

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $55,693

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries

BachCIP: 3907

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $42,915

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3899

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $46,083

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$29,685

Nat: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$276k

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

BachCIP: 0909

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $63,560

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

BachCIP: 0907

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $50,497

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Religious Education

BachCIP: 3904

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $43,633

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Research and Experimental Psychology

BachCIP: 4227

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $55,695

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

BachCIP: 3105

Median Debt

$25,833

Earnings (4yr)

$38,771

Nat: $54,562

Lifetime Value Added

-$214k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$36,745

Nat: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

-$212k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $51,389

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Theology and Religious Vocations, Other

BachCIP: 3999

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $43,566

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, 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.