College ROI

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SUNY College at Geneseo

Geneseo, NY 3,855 Undergrads 75.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$26,461
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,021
After Aid
Median Earnings
$67,316
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,021
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$67,316
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate75.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients25.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
63.5%
SAT Avg
1,296
SAT Reading
25th: 61061575th: 690
SAT Math
25th: 59062575th: 690
ACT Composite
25th: 262875th: 31

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
+$573k
+$177k
+$89k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$508k
+$112k
+$24k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$478k
+$81k
-$7k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
50
37%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-7%
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 Return84%

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-28%
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
$18,187
Earnings (5yr)
$86,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Lifetime Value Added
-$339k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$20,994
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$270k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$72,710
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$75,486
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,829
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,074
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,924
Earnings (5yr)
$89,088
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$14,575
Earnings (2yr)
$23,351
Lifetime Value Added
-$318k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$22,287
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$290k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$22,375
Earnings (5yr)
$56,767
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,963
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$70,445
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,083
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,314
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$51,153
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$19,875
Earnings (5yr)
$53,016
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$62,508
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$12,408
Earnings (5yr)
$54,026
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k

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.