Chariot Learning
  • About
    • FAQ
    • Our Curriculum
    • Areas Chariot Learning Serves
  • Services
    • SAT & ACT Prep
    • SAT/ACT TestFlip
    • Academic Coaching
    • Subject Tutoring
    • Strategic Reading Club
    • Proctored Practice Tests
    • GRE Prep
    • College Essay Coaching
    • Roots2Words
  • Calendar
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Contact
June 7, 2022 by Mike Bergin

Evaluating College ROI

College is definitely, at least in most cases, a pricy proposition. Attending community college or earning substantial scholarship awards can defray the financial costs of college, but higher education demands a considerable time commitment as well.

Considering just how much college students (and their families) invest in higher education, questions about the return on that investment only make sense. Any attempt to evaluate potential ROI from attending college requires the juggling of a variety of complex terms along with a stomach for uncertainty. College major alone dramatically influences potential earnings after graduation. What other factors should smart shoppers consider?

Net Price
Net price is the average cost of attendance, which includes tuition, fees, books and supplies, and living expenses, minus aid received from all sources.

Net Present Value (NPV)
The net present value is how much a sum of money in the future is valued today. This metric includes costs, future earnings, and the length of time it would take to invest and earn a specific amount of money over a fixed horizon. NPV is the kind of variable you might evaluate over periods of 10, 15, 20, 30, and 40 years.

Graduation Rate
Graduation rate is the rate at which full-time, first-time students complete their credentials within 150 percent of the expected time (i.e., the percentage of students who earn a bachelor’s degree within six years)

Carnegie Classification
A system begun in 1970 by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education to classify 2-year and 4-year colleges by their common attributes, such as the most prevalent degree, whether they offer graduate degrees, and the level of research activity that takes place there.

Of course, these are only some of the myriad factors to consider, which makes this whole exercise rather complicated for those of us who are not data scientists. Fortunately, the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) took on the Herculean task of crunching all the numbers necessary to rank 4,500 colleges and universities by return on investment. You’ll find no end of data to deep dive into in their 2022 Ranking 4,500 Colleges by ROI report.

If, however, you’d like a valuable overview and introduction to how to sift through this wealth of information, start by listening to my conversation with educational researcher Martin Van Der Werf of CEW about the report’s big picture insights and implications.

college cost of college

Previous articleWhat to Read This SummerNext article Do SAT & ACT Subscores Matter?
Mike Bergin
Tens of thousands of students a year prep for the SAT & ACT through programs Mike Bergin created or organized. After more than 25 years of intensive experience in the education industry, he's done it all as a teacher, tutor, director, curriculum developer, blogger, podcaster, and best-selling author. Mike founded Chariot Learning in 2009 to deliver on the promise of what truly transformative individualized education can and should be.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Helping high schoolers with tests, school, and life is what Chariot Learning is all about. Let us know how we can help you!

Latest Posts

  • Self-Control and Score Outcomes
  • Tests as Equalizers and Predictors of Success
  • Beginner’s Mindset for Advanced Results
  • Make This Your Year of Preparation
  • Who Benefits from Admissions Tests?

What is TestFlip?

Learn about the ultimate in self-directed supplemental SAT/ACT prep, powered by Chariot Learning:

  • The depth of your struggle determines the height of your success.
    by chariotlearning 6 months ago
    The depth of your struggle determines the height of your success.
  • Be stronger than your excuses!
    by chariotlearning 6 months ago
    Be stronger than your excuses!
  • Decide your habits well. Your habits decide your future.
    by chariotlearning 6 months ago
    Decide your habits well. Your habits decide your future.
  • Believe in yourself, champ.
    by chariotlearning 6 months ago
    Believe in yourself, champ.
  • Knowledge isn
    by chariotlearning 6 months ago
    Knowledge isn't free. You have to pay attention.
  • Bring a little extra to your day ;)
    by chariotlearning 6 months ago
    Bring a little extra to your day ;)
  • The one thing you can control is your effort.
    by chariotlearning 6 months ago
    The one thing you can control is your effort.
  • Consistency for the work week. Intensity for the weekend!
    by chariotlearning 6 months ago
    Consistency for the work week. Intensity for the weekend!

Subscribe to Mike’s Podcast

Subscribe to Tests and the Rest

PARENT GROUP AND NEWSLETTER

Are you an Upstate New York parent with questions about college admissions, testing, and scholarships? The Upstate NY College Conversations Facebook group is for you. Join today!

And also sign up for College Road, our free email newsletter delivering expert educational advice, test news, admissions action steps, special offers, and more.

Testimonials

Because of the tutoring Chariot Learning provided and the positive outcome, my son was accepted into colleges that he may not have been with his SAT scores prior to their services.

Margie, Fairport mom

Read more testimonials...

PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is the ultimate college admissions industry podcast. Join Mike Bergin and Amy Seeley every Tuesday and Friday as they discuss the latest issues in testing, admissions, learning, and education with leading experts.
© 2023 Chariot Learning, LLC. All rights reserved.