College ROI

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University of South Carolina Beaufort

Bluffton, SC 2,052 Undergrads 39.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$24,353
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,656
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,235
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,656
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$49,235
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$48,088
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate39.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age22.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS66.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
72.5%
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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$447k
-$20k
-$37k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$394k
-$72k
-$90k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$360k
-$107k
-$125k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-171%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-142%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-87%
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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Associate's Degrees

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (4yr)
$45,680
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (4yr)
$56,852
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$24,750
Earnings (4yr)
$49,545
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Computational Science
BachCIP: 3030
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$67,660
Natl Median: $104,864
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,530
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$332k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$23,641
Earnings (4yr)
$45,953
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
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
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$50,776
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,311
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,888
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$26,187
Earnings (4yr)
$47,705
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k

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. 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.