College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Waynesburg University

Waynesburg, PA 1,081 Undergrads 65.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$42,526
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,157
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,537
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$25,157
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,537
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate65.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients31.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
91.7%
SAT Avg
1,114
SAT Reading
25th: 500-75th: 630
SAT Math
25th: 500-75th: 590
ACT Composite
25th: 16-75th: 25

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
+$505k
+$109k
+$21k
Median Cost$25k/yr
+$415k
+$18k
-$69k
Full Cost$43k/yr
+$352k
-$44k
-$132k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
46
Median Cost$25k/yr
Never
-77%
Full Cost$43k/yr
Never
-86%
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-64%

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-77%
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
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$32,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$75,322
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,244
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,373
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,398
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$76,993
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$23,951
Earnings (5yr)
$89,760
Lifetime Value Added
+$305k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$40,813
Earnings (5yr)
$54,507
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
MastCIP: 1305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,692
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$99,709
Lifetime Value Added
+$391k

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.