College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Virginia Military Institute

Lexington, VA 1,560 Undergrads 80.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$33,738
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,849
After Aid
Median Earnings
$77,369
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,849
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$77,369
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate80.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients15.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time100.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS91.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
81.7%
SAT Avg
1,183
SAT Reading
25th: 53060075th: 640
SAT Math
25th: 51059075th: 620
ACT Composite
25th: 222575th: 28

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
+$647k
+$251k
+$163k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$579k
+$183k
+$95k
Full Cost$34k/yr
+$526k
+$129k
+$41k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
Median Cost$19k/yr
37
140%
Full Cost$34k/yr
47
34%
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 Return159%

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-10%
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

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$79,095
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (5yr)
$80,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (2yr)
$64,493
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$22,150
Earnings (5yr)
$80,064
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,619
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$21,875
Earnings (5yr)
$79,025
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,503
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$19,971
Earnings (5yr)
$83,811
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (5yr)
$72,223
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k

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.