College ROI

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University of West Georgia

Carrollton, GA 7,520 Undergrads 47.4% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$21,319
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,787
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,580
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,787
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$56,580
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$54,320
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate47.4%
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 age (2015-17)21.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients47.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time78.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS66.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
51.6%
SAT Avg
1,032
SAT Reading
25th: 49054075th: 590
SAT Math
25th: 46050075th: 550
ACT Composite
25th: 171975th: 22

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
+$501k
+$31k
+$15k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$459k
-$11k
-$28k
Full Cost$21k/yr
+$425k
-$45k
-$62k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
49
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-65%
Full Cost$21k/yr
Never
-81%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ 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

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-44%

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-58%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$18,282
Earnings (4yr)
$70,405
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
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Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,740
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
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Behavioral Sciences
BachCIP: 3017
Median Debt
$22,211
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,673
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,194
Earnings (4yr)
$47,252
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
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Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$62,588
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (4yr)
$53,575
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
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Median Debt
$19,505
Earnings (4yr)
$45,806
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
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Median Debt
$22,375
Earnings (4yr)
$93,769
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$271k
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Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$23,393
Earnings (4yr)
$50,048
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,681
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
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Median Debt
$17,293
Earnings (4yr)
$40,855
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
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Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$72,717
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
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Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,644
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,611
Natl Median: $50,580
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,355
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
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Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,308
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
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History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$21,763
Earnings (4yr)
$52,514
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$22,914
Earnings (4yr)
$47,891
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
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Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,574
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
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Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,475
Earnings (4yr)
$63,104
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,446
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
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Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,799
Natl Median: $50,468
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
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Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$16,663
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$358k
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Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,573
Earnings (4yr)
$53,827
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,731
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
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Real Estate
BachCIP: 5215
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,821
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,200
Earnings (4yr)
$86,904
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$218k
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Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,412
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,180
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
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Median Debt
$18,053
Earnings (4yr)
$49,499
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
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Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,383
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
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Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,056
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
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Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,086
Earnings (4yr)
$97,803
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$200k
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Median Debt
$32,529
Earnings (4yr)
$59,492
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
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Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$134,307
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$495k
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Criminology
MastCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$30,176
Earnings (5yr)
$62,950
Natl Median: $67,647
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
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Median Debt
$24,867
Earnings (4yr)
$95,143
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k
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Median Debt
$20,510
Earnings (4yr)
$74,243
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,818
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$271k
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Median Debt
$26,586
Earnings (4yr)
$63,152
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$114,602
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$347k
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Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,562
Earnings (4yr)
$74,278
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
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Median Debt
$31,312
Earnings (4yr)
$58,091
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
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Median Debt
$23,384
Earnings (4yr)
$64,065
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
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Median Debt
$21,088
Earnings (4yr)
$65,853
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
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Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,959
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
DocCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$101,304
Natl Median: $90,635
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
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Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
DocCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,610
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,794
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.