College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

University of Montevallo

Montevallo, AL 2,151 Undergrads 54.7% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$27,398
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,683
After Aid
Median Earnings
$46,262
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$17,683
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$46,262
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$42,957
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate54.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.0
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients39.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS59.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
53.8%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -54575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -54075th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2375th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

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
+$422k
-$45k
-$62k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$358k
-$108k
-$126k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$324k
-$143k
-$161k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-198%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-163%
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 Return-190%

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-99%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,747
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,569
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$232k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,182
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,565
Earnings (4yr)
$49,979
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,624
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$35,858
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,038
Natl Median: $48,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,160
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$35,921
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,563
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,492
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,048
Earnings (4yr)
$40,809
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,497
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,767
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$43,388
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$300k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,758
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,823
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,200
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,783
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,733
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$51,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,775
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,476
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$197k

Professional Degrees

Education, General
ProfCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,984
Natl Median: $72,062
Lifetime Value Added
-$299k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,026
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.