College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Wartburg College

Waverly, IA 1,446 Undergrads 68.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$61,832
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,604
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,201
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,604
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$56,201
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate68.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients22.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
99.4%
SAT Avg
1,136
SAT Reading
25th: 49053175th: 605
SAT Math
25th: 48855575th: 630
ACT Composite
25th: 192375th: 27

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
+$487k
+$91k
+$3k
Median Cost$23k/yr
+$406k
+$9k
-$79k
Full Cost$62k/yr
+$264k
-$132k
-$220k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
60
Median Cost$23k/yr
Never
-97%
Full Cost$62k/yr
Never
-99%
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-90%

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-88%
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
$26,818
Earnings (5yr)
$79,556
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,681
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,653
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (5yr)
$48,297
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Engineering Science
BachCIP: 1413
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,221
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,328
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,154
Lifetime Value Added
-$382k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,125
Earnings (5yr)
$47,608
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,756
Lifetime Value Added
-$240k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$25,571
Earnings (5yr)
$50,772
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k

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.