College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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University of Hawaii-West Oahu

Kapolei, HI 2,510 Undergrads 52.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$18,190
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,666
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,075
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,666
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$52,075
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate52.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time57.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
95.6%
SAT Avg
973
SAT Reading
25th: 54057575th: 610
SAT Math
25th: 49052075th: 600
ACT Composite
25th: 151975th: 21

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
+$454k
+$58k
-$30k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$416k
+$19k
-$69k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$389k
-$8k
-$96k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
Never
-179%
Full Cost$18k/yr
Never
-146%
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-153%

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-79%
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

Certificates

Homeland Security
CertCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,309
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k

Bachelor's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,729
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$57,924
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$15,164
Earnings (2yr)
$33,459
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$12,981
Earnings (5yr)
$75,755
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Public Administration
BachCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$13,687
Earnings (5yr)
$53,361
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
$15,610
Earnings (5yr)
$41,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k

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.