College ROI

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Villanova University

Villanova, PA 6,938 Undergrads 88.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$84,793
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$43,756
After Aid
Median Earnings
$104,228
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$43,756
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$104,228
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$100,423
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate88.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients11.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS91.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
27.0%
SAT Avg
1,460
SAT Reading
25th: 68569575th: 740
SAT Math
25th: 71072575th: 770
ACT Composite
25th: 323375th: 34

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
+$875k
+$408k
+$391k
Median Cost$44k/yr
+$718k
+$251k
+$233k
Full Cost$85k/yr
+$570k
+$103k
+$86k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
25
∞
Median Cost$44k/yr
33
148%
Full Cost$85k/yr
46
28%
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 Return143%

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-23%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$25,858
Earnings (4yr)
$120,207
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$354k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,333
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$313k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,933
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$114,211
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$309k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$123,614
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$380k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$103,601
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,038
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,228
Earnings (4yr)
$81,497
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$130,585
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$433k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$119,137
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$346k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,408
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$26,497
Earnings (4yr)
$100,288
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$203k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$117,229
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$332k
Median Debt
$26,899
Earnings (4yr)
$67,157
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$131,996
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$443k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,080
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,907
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$103,700
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,125
Earnings (4yr)
$53,181
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$118,712
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$343k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$109,642
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$274k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,747
Earnings (4yr)
$102,222
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$218k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$109,851
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$276k
Median Debt
$25,995
Earnings (4yr)
$97,556
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,060
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$26,676
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physical Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4001
Median Debt
$24,223
Earnings (4yr)
$80,302
Natl Median: $68,944
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,198
Natl Median: $75,370
Lifetime Value Added
-$213k
Median Debt
$25,620
Earnings (4yr)
$83,179
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$73,684
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$171
Real Estate
BachCIP: 5215
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$131,911
Natl Median: $84,821
Lifetime Value Added
+$443k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$99,540
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$198k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,250
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$94,964
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$81,088
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,535
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,215
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$104,120
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$196k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$40,193
Earnings (4yr)
$160,428
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$684k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$82,204
Natl Median: $96,656
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,468
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$109,388
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
+$242k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$108,449
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
+$234k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$143,746
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
+$540k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,087
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,302
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$294k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering, Other
MastCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$105,945
Natl Median: $129,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$164,343
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$718k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$36,369
Earnings (4yr)
$121,007
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$343k
Law
MastCIP: 2201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,341
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$33,244
Earnings (4yr)
$80,419
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Median Debt
$39,491
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$62,012
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$128,221
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$405k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$38,458
Earnings (4yr)
$96,385
Natl Median: $81,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$128k
Median Debt
$69,358
Earnings (4yr)
$125,445
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$381k
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$135,775
Natl Median: $123,816
Lifetime Value Added
+$471k
Median Debt
$40,249
Earnings (4yr)
$65,344
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
$43,076
Earnings (4yr)
$170,796
Natl Median: $114,810
Lifetime Value Added
+$773k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,719
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,432
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$283k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,226
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,630
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
DocCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,449
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$69,861
Earnings (4yr)
$129,021
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$151k

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.