College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Trinity University

San Antonio, TX 2,518 Undergrads 80.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$65,774
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,650
After Aid
Median Earnings
$71,668
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,650
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$71,668
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate80.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients16.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
28.2%
SAT Avg
1,407
SAT Reading
25th: 67069075th: 735
SAT Math
25th: 65068475th: 730
ACT Composite
25th: 303175th: 33

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
+$605k
+$209k
+$121k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$520k
+$124k
+$36k
Full Cost$66k/yr
+$369k
-$28k
-$116k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
Median Cost$24k/yr
47
42%
Full Cost$66k/yr
Never
-49%
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-0%

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-64%
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
$23,550
Earnings (5yr)
$92,279
Lifetime Value Added
+$201k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$25,392
Earnings (5yr)
$55,952
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$24,059
Earnings (5yr)
$124,271
Lifetime Value Added
+$439k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$88,904
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Engineering Science
BachCIP: 1413
Median Debt
$21,249
Earnings (2yr)
$60,320
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$105,372
Lifetime Value Added
+$299k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,295
Lifetime Value Added
-$302k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$310k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$22,541
Earnings (5yr)
$72,509
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,816
Lifetime Value Added
-$288k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,266
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Urban Studies/Affairs
BachCIP: 4512
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,670
Lifetime Value Added
-$262k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$106,430
Lifetime Value Added
+$451k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,108
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$22,639
Earnings (2yr)
$57,770
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$77,910
Earnings (5yr)
$179,800
Lifetime Value Added
+$1074k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,785
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k

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.