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University of Charleston
Charleston, WV 2,259 Undergrads 54.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$46,470
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,107
After Aid
Median Earnings
$68,945
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$22,107
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$68,945
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate54.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients30.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time54.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS70.8%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
61.5%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
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
+$606k
+$139k
+$121k
Median Cost$22k/yr
+$526k
+$59k
+$42k
Full Cost$46k/yr
+$439k
-$28k
-$46k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$22k/yr
45
53%
Full Cost$46k/yr
Never
-27%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return41%
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-49%
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
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,004
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,447
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$79,727
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$283k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,104
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,571
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,125
Earnings (4yr)
$63,958
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,791
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Graphic Communications
BachCIP: 1003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,037
Natl Median: $43,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,601
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$19,169
Earnings (4yr)
$83,847
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$156k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$305k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,569
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$248k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$148,721
Earnings (4yr)
$131,476
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$473k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
MastCIP: 5299
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$93,132
Natl Median: $96,656
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$32,258
Earnings (4yr)
$75,247
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Security Science and Technology
MastCIP: 4304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Doctoral Degrees
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
DocCIP: 5299
Median Debt
$32,897
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,418
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
DocCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$227,109
Earnings (4yr)
$132,437
Natl Median: $136,696
Lifetime Value Added
+$254k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), 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 for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.