College ROI

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Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, NC 5,485 Undergrads 90.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$87,499
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$28,719
After Aid
Median Earnings
$92,943
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$28,719
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$92,943
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$78,158
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate90.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients9.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS85.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
21.7%
SAT Avg
1,475
SAT Reading
25th: 700-75th: 750
SAT Math
25th: 710-75th: 770
ACT Composite
25th: 32-75th: 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
+$789k
+$322k
+$305k
Median Cost$29k/yr
+$686k
+$219k
+$201k
Full Cost$87k/yr
+$474k
+$7k
-$10k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
∞
Median Cost$29k/yr
32
195%
Full Cost$87k/yr
Never
-3%
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 Return84%

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-40%
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,668
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,079
Earnings (4yr)
$63,292
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Median Debt
$18,899
Earnings (4yr)
$118,167
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$393k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$74,850
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$77,984
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$20,549
Earnings (4yr)
$115,493
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$373k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$98,209
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$242k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$77,847
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$145,996
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$603k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,144
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$20,963
Earnings (5yr)
$66,622
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$146,608
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$607k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$113,570
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$341k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$85,668
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,393
Earnings (4yr)
$64,814
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,875
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,635
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,777
Earnings (4yr)
$79,599
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$43,000
Earnings (4yr)
$116,679
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$333k
Median Debt
$128,561
Earnings (4yr)
$127,297
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$425k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$57,666
Earnings (4yr)
$73,476
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,051
Earnings (4yr)
$135,677
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$498k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,486
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,487
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Law
MastCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$49,426
Earnings (4yr)
$102,929
Natl Median: $65,341
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,093
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$50,885
Earnings (4yr)
$127,072
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$423k
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,229
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
MastCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,478
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$103,942
Earnings (4yr)
$221,028
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$1227k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,816
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$76,591
Earnings (4yr)
$57,982
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,897
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$59,016
Earnings (4yr)
$62,158
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,683
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,983
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,848
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Genetics
DocCIP: 2608
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $102,123
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,640
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$105,023
Earnings (4yr)
$112,646
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$193,205
Earnings (4yr)
$119,030
Natl Median: $112,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k

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.