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Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, IN 2,229 Undergrads 71.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$57,393
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$21,583
After Aid
Median Earnings
$63,191
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$21,583
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$63,191
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate71.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients25.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.8%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
92.2%
SAT Avg
1,226
SAT Reading
25th: 540-75th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 540-75th: 650
ACT Composite
25th: 25-75th: 30
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
+$542k
+$145k
+$57k
Median Cost$22k/yr
+$464k
+$67k
-$20k
Full Cost$57k/yr
+$335k
-$61k
-$149k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
37
∞
Median Cost$22k/yr
Never
-26%
Full Cost$57k/yr
Never
-72%
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-42%
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-75%
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
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
BachCIP: 4004
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,942
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,922
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,350
Earnings (5yr)
$66,051
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,188
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$80,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$118k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,864
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$61,772
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$263k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,164
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$87,180
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,723
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$26,613
Earnings (5yr)
$84,445
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,153
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,348
Earnings (5yr)
$58,510
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$324k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,494
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$83,142
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,281
Lifetime Value Added
-$240k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,284
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,885
Earnings (5yr)
$47,422
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,413
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (5yr)
$79,968
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$283k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$26,900
Earnings (5yr)
$51,226
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$28,055
Lifetime Value Added
-$287k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$26,437
Earnings (5yr)
$48,557
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$26,755
Earnings (2yr)
$37,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$201k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$92,958
Lifetime Value Added
+$339k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$63,264
Earnings (5yr)
$64,575
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,242
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,286
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$89,751
Earnings (5yr)
$77,795
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
ProfCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$62,281
Earnings (5yr)
$135,121
Lifetime Value Added
+$473k
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.