College ROI

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West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Beckley, WV 981 Undergrads 31.2% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$18,907
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,337
After Aid
Median Earnings
$64,952
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$9,337
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$64,952
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$55,939
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate31.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age20.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients37.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
36.7%
SAT Avg
1,033
SAT Reading
25th: 46051575th: 570
SAT Math
25th: 42051075th: 550
ACT Composite
25th: 192275th: 23

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$575k
+$108k
+$91k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$541k
+$74k
+$57k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$507k
+$40k
+$23k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
Median Cost$9k/yr
39
169%
Full Cost$19k/yr
50
33%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return163%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return2%
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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$76,135
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
Median Debt
$27,242
Earnings (4yr)
$94,750
Natl Median: $98,207
Lifetime Value Added
+$285k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$57,486
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Median Debt
$25,262
Earnings (4yr)
$65,372
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Median Debt
$22,354
Earnings (4yr)
$96,503
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$298k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,142
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$82,117
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$188k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,936
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,805
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$171k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$99,048
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$318k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,221
Earnings (4yr)
$99,542
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$321k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,526
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,180
Earnings (4yr)
$56,132
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$77,144
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$90,461
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$252k
Median Debt
$21,431
Earnings (4yr)
$56,969
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,263
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$83,750
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$201k
Median Debt
$24,121
Earnings (4yr)
$62,455
Natl Median: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$51,403
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k

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.