College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Thiel College

Greenville, PA 773 Undergrads 46.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$51,346
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,746
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,714
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,746
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$49,714
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate46.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS68.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
70.6%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -53875th: -
SAT Math
25th: -52875th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2175th: -

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
+$435k
+$39k
-$49k
Median Cost$23k/yr
+$353k
-$43k
-$131k
Full Cost$51k/yr
+$250k
-$146k
-$234k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$23k/yr
Never
-160%
Full Cost$51k/yr
Never
-127%
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-136%

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-97%
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)
$65,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$277k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,671
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,126
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,677
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,732
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$340k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,324
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,822
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k

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.