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Webster University
Saint Louis, MO 2,180 Undergrads 58.0% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$49,218
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$26,196
After Aid
Median Earnings
$50,876
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$26,196
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$50,876
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate58.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients28.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time83.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS65.6%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
58.0%
SAT Avg
1,145
SAT Reading
25th: 51858275th: 643
SAT Math
25th: 48856075th: 590
ACT Composite
25th: 202475th: 28
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
+$444k
+$48k
-$40k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$350k
-$46k
-$134k
Full Cost$49k/yr
+$267k
-$129k
-$217k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$26k/yr
Never
-142%
Full Cost$49k/yr
Never
-123%
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-129%
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-94%
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
Certificates
Legal Support Services
CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,608
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,958
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1002
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,574
Lifetime Value Added
-$220k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,067
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$22,950
Earnings (5yr)
$57,807
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (5yr)
$44,942
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$90,966
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$330k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$36,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$248k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$24,714
Earnings (5yr)
$42,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,990
Lifetime Value Added
-$242k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$22,475
Earnings (5yr)
$33,345
Lifetime Value Added
-$273k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$289k
Graphic Communications
BachCIP: 1003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$30,759
Lifetime Value Added
-$296k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,402
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,409
Lifetime Value Added
-$283k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$27,519
Lifetime Value Added
-$323k
Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate)
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,982
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,931
Lifetime Value Added
-$278k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,061
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,750
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$79,081
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,075
Lifetime Value Added
+$263k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$50,555
Earnings (5yr)
$87,617
Lifetime Value Added
+$285k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$61,283
Earnings (5yr)
$47,411
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$48,635
Earnings (5yr)
$67,594
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,965
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
MastCIP: 1305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,357
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Finance and Financial Management Services
MastCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (5yr)
$84,588
Lifetime Value Added
+$259k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$40,294
Earnings (5yr)
$70,025
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other
MastCIP: 4399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,469
Lifetime Value Added
+$301k
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$54,686
Earnings (5yr)
$63,053
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
International Relations and National Security Studies
MastCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$73,410
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Management Information Systems and Services
MastCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$102,692
Lifetime Value Added
+$414k
Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
MastCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,758
Lifetime Value Added
+$303k
Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate)
MastCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,150
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
MastCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$59,664
Earnings (5yr)
$68,568
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$177,721
Earnings (5yr)
$103,380
Lifetime Value Added
+$420k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,758
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$19,696
Earnings (5yr)
$54,549
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Graduate Certificates
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Gr-CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$48,869
Earnings (5yr)
$107,209
Lifetime Value Added
+$562k
Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations
Gr-CertCIP: 2902
Median Debt
$38,744
Earnings (2yr)
$75,204
Lifetime Value Added
+$307k
Legal Support Services
Gr-CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
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.