College ROI

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University of Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls, SD 1,218 Undergrads 61.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$34,274
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,383
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,903
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$21,383
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$58,903
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$54,521
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate61.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.3
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients29.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS82.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
82.9%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$527k
+$60k
+$42k
Median Cost$21k/yr
+$450k
-$17k
-$34k
Full Cost$34k/yr
+$404k
-$63k
-$81k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
39
∞
Median Cost$21k/yr
Never
-45%
Full Cost$34k/yr
Never
-66%
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-25%

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-63%
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

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,146
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,772
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,533
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,498
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$50,253
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,847
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$62,792
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,113
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,021
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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: $42,915
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,083
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$49,469
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$79,077
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Religious Music and Worship
BachCIP: 3905
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,456
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,847
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,451
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$63,466
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$44,735
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$86,706
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Median Debt
$16,185
Earnings (4yr)
$69,008
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,958
Earnings (4yr)
$53,636
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$211k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,303
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k

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.