College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Trine University

Angola, IN 2,344 Undergrads 60.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$50,004
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,580
After Aid
Median Earnings
$57,165
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$25,580
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$57,165
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate60.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients26.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
84.7%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -56075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -57575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2575th: -

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
+$495k
+$98k
+$10k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$403k
+$6k
-$82k
Full Cost$50k/yr
+$315k
-$82k
-$170k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
52
Median Cost$26k/yr
Never
-89%
Full Cost$50k/yr
Never
-94%
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-83%
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
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,463
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,625
Earnings (2yr)
$34,704
Lifetime Value Added
-$241k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$16,066
Earnings (5yr)
$71,500
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,486
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$89,865
Lifetime Value Added
+$176k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$77,554
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$67,899
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$20,200
Earnings (5yr)
$44,704
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1513
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$81,146
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$90,122
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,239
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,108
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$87,580
Lifetime Value Added
+$159k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,363
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,701
Lifetime Value Added
-$232k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$13,800
Earnings (5yr)
$79,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$243

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.