College ROI

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Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia Beach, VA 1,256 Undergrads 49.8% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$51,940
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$20,237
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,383
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$20,237
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$53,383
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$54,390
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate49.8%
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 Age21.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients38.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS65.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
72.9%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -63575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -63075th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2975th: -

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
+$475k
+$5k
-$11k
Median Cost$20k/yr
+$402k
-$68k
-$84k
Full Cost$52k/yr
+$288k
-$182k
-$198k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$20k/yr
Never
-115%
Full Cost$52k/yr
Never
-106%
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-101%

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-89%

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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$356k
Median Debt
$23,251
Earnings (4yr)
$63,159
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$278k
Median Debt
$26,011
Earnings (4yr)
$52,247
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$19,227
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$365k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,781
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$341k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $118,943
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,432
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Median Debt
$20,927
Earnings (4yr)
$53,272
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$31,851
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$299k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,511
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$344k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$27,303
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,824
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.