College ROI

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Wheeling University

Wheeling, WV 567 Undergrads 85.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$41,265
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,040
After Aid
Median Earnings
$57,949
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,040
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$57,949
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate85.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients30.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
75.2%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -55575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -51075th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2075th: -

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
+$501k
+$104k
+$16k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$432k
+$36k
-$52k
Full Cost$41k/yr
+$352k
-$44k
-$132k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
48
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-76%
Full Cost$41k/yr
Never
-89%
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-69%

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

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,869
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,732
Earnings (5yr)
$56,888
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$294k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$194k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,402
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k

Master's Degrees

Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,448
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$115,236
Lifetime Value Added
+$535k

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.