College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Wayne State College

Wayne, NE 3,010 Undergrads 54.0% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$22,565
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,360
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,406
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,360
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$52,406
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$47,075
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate54.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$474k
+$7k
-$11k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$418k
-$48k
-$66k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$392k
-$74k
-$92k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-119%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-113%
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 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-73%
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

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,609
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Median Debt
$16,861
Earnings (4yr)
$57,178
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,396
Earnings (4yr)
$41,391
Natl Median: $50,523
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Median Debt
$23,150
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,205
Earnings (4yr)
$55,485
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,701
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,475
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$29,395
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$263k
Median Debt
$20,845
Earnings (4yr)
$68,431
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,871
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,706
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
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,746
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Median Debt
$19,731
Earnings (4yr)
$43,369
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Median Debt
$23,896
Earnings (4yr)
$48,581
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$17,274
Earnings (4yr)
$86,631
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Median Debt
$17,237
Earnings (4yr)
$64,269
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Median Debt
$19,051
Earnings (4yr)
$75,217
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,398
Natl Median: $75,122
Lifetime Value Added
-$231k
Median Debt
$27,852
Earnings (4yr)
$62,404
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
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.