College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Wright State University-Lake Campus

Celina, OH 984 Undergrads 22.4% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$17,116
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,603
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,500
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,603
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$49,500
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate22.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients25.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time66.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -39575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -44575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2175th: -

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
+$433k
+$37k
-$51k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$388k
-$9k
-$97k
Full Cost$17k/yr
+$372k
-$25k
-$113k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-213%
Full Cost$17k/yr
Never
-183%
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-213%

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-91%
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

Associate's Degrees

Management Information Systems and Services
AssocCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,679
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k

Bachelor's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$22,525
Earnings (5yr)
$50,246
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,814
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,650
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$42,480
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,415
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$22,772
Earnings (5yr)
$83,880
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (2yr)
$28,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$247k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,398
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$74,455
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$26,479
Earnings (5yr)
$42,949
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k

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.