College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Susquehanna University

Selinsgrove, PA 2,120 Undergrads 74.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$72,563
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$26,539
After Aid
Median Earnings
$61,723
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$26,539
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$61,723
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate74.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
78.7%
SAT Avg
1,211
SAT Reading
25th: 550-75th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 540-75th: 630
ACT Composite
25th: 22-75th: 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
+$530k
+$134k
+$46k
Median Cost$27k/yr
+$435k
+$38k
-$50k
Full Cost$73k/yr
+$269k
-$127k
-$215k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
39
Median Cost$27k/yr
Never
-52%
Full Cost$73k/yr
Never
-82%
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-62%

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
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$81,585
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Business/Corporate Communications
BachCIP: 5205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,170
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,967
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Lifetime Value Added
-$370k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$91,637
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$290k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,661
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$290k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,176
Lifetime Value Added
-$259k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$76,231
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,579
Lifetime Value Added
-$346k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,053
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,169
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,006
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$331k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$213k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,441
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,426
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k

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.