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Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA 6,858 Undergrads 45.6% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$20,202
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,298
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,361
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$11,298
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$49,361
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate45.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients53.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time78.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS65.6%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
83.5%
SAT Avg
1,037
SAT Reading
25th: 49053575th: 580
SAT Math
25th: 46050575th: 550
ACT Composite
25th: 172075th: 23
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
+$432k
+$36k
-$52k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$391k
-$5k
-$93k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$359k
-$37k
-$125k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
Never
-229%
Full Cost$20k/yr
Never
-172%
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-199%
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-93%
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
Associate's Degrees
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,055
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$21,396
Earnings (5yr)
$62,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
American Sign Language
BachCIP: 1616
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,441
Earnings (5yr)
$54,815
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$24,358
Earnings (5yr)
$55,405
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
BachCIP: 5204
Median Debt
$34,937
Earnings (5yr)
$40,295
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,420
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$26,383
Earnings (5yr)
$48,769
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$22,053
Earnings (5yr)
$52,114
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,023
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,049
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$17,624
Lifetime Value Added
-$347k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$29,320
Lifetime Value Added
-$254k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$27,536
Earnings (5yr)
$36,872
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$23,312
Earnings (5yr)
$61,766
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (5yr)
$31,168
Lifetime Value Added
-$238k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (2yr)
$26,933
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,043
Earnings (5yr)
$54,862
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$38,990
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (2yr)
$39,729
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$28,788
Earnings (5yr)
$44,444
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$24,080
Earnings (5yr)
$45,861
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,175
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,719
Earnings (5yr)
$42,653
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$21,396
Earnings (5yr)
$78,057
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Sociology and Anthropology
BachCIP: 4513
Median Debt
$29,974
Earnings (5yr)
$43,809
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,162
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$48,764
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,175
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$60,771
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,590
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$35,096
Earnings (5yr)
$59,093
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$28,998
Earnings (5yr)
$46,543
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Library Science and Administration
MastCIP: 2501
Median Debt
$31,554
Earnings (5yr)
$45,566
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$42,700
Earnings (5yr)
$51,600
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,009
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$32,434
Earnings (5yr)
$59,110
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$48,021
Earnings (5yr)
$57,839
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$32,488
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$23,655
Earnings (5yr)
$57,746
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$20,324
Earnings (5yr)
$66,013
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k
Graduate Certificates
Educational Administration and Supervision
Gr-CertCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$84,270
Lifetime Value Added
+$363k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
Gr-CertCIP: 1305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,263
Lifetime Value Added
+$297k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
Gr-CertCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,856
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k
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.