College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Whitworth University

Spokane, WA 1,927 Undergrads 71.5% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$65,711
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,884
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,561
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$25,884
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,561
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate71.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients29.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
86.8%
SAT Avg
1,212
SAT Reading
25th: 56059075th: 670
SAT Math
25th: 54058575th: 650
ACT Composite
25th: 212575th: 29

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
+$506k
+$109k
+$21k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$412k
+$16k
-$72k
Full Cost$66k/yr
+$269k
-$127k
-$215k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
46
Median Cost$26k/yr
Never
-77%
Full Cost$66k/yr
Never
-91%
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-77%

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-85%
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
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$80,683
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
Biological and Physical Sciences
BachCIP: 3001
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$57,341
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,735
Earnings (5yr)
$48,266
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,039
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$109,771
Lifetime Value Added
+$323k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$24,642
Earnings (5yr)
$55,426
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,121
Lifetime Value Added
-$321k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,798
Earnings (5yr)
$45,506
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$31,771
Earnings (5yr)
$54,169
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,610
Earnings (5yr)
$65,438
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$74,637
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$29,144
Lifetime Value Added
-$308k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (2yr)
$54,661
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,166
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,312
Earnings (5yr)
$55,204
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$14,418
Earnings (5yr)
$88,171
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
$23,875
Earnings (5yr)
$43,395
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$51,233
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,400
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$26,799
Earnings (5yr)
$54,287
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$83,828
Lifetime Value Added
+$253k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,470
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k

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.