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Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem, NC 4,244 Undergrads 59.0% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$22,345
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,393
After Aid
Median Earnings
$45,344
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$13,393
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$45,344
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate59.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients63.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS65.9%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
68.5%
SAT Avg
946
SAT Reading
25th: 42048075th: 530
SAT Math
25th: 40048075th: 520
ACT Composite
25th: 141775th: 18
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
+$399k
+$3k
-$85k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$351k
-$45k
-$133k
Full Cost$22k/yr
+$319k
-$78k
-$165k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-276%
Full Cost$22k/yr
Never
-206%
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-258%
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-110%
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
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,840
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,686
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,119
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
$20,778
Earnings (2yr)
$47,930
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$26,782
Earnings (5yr)
$35,446
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,915
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$30,721
Earnings (5yr)
$58,212
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,140
Earnings (5yr)
$44,456
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,421
Lifetime Value Added
-$291k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,420
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,154
Lifetime Value Added
-$349k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$28,515
Earnings (5yr)
$45,411
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,551
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$25,449
Earnings (5yr)
$35,537
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,570
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$40,888
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$16,874
Earnings (5yr)
$89,276
Lifetime Value Added
+$215k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$39,811
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,131
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,750
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,225
Earnings (5yr)
$45,607
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Master's Degrees
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$26,157
Earnings (5yr)
$118,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$569k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$31,610
Earnings (5yr)
$66,872
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Doctoral Degrees
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$61,191
Earnings (5yr)
$90,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$180k
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.