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Shepherd University

⌖ Shepherdstown, WV · 17 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$132,562 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

24.3 yrsModeled economic break-even
−59%Modeled 10-year ROI
$54,289Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$132,562at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$225,4520
2
4
6
8
−$132,56210
Years after graduationBreak-even: 24.3 years
FEDERAL COST DATA

Four ways to read college price.

Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.

Published in-state tuition$9,056
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$19,082
Sticker price
Average net price$11,363
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$19,601
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$11,363Average net price / year
$19,601Cost of attendance
$54,289Median earnings · year 5 after completion
51.0%Completion rate
96.8%Admission rate
2,344Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

71thEarnings percentile
39thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$43,801Year 1
$55,251Year 4
$54,289Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$83,1142Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Bachelor's Degree$78,7643Computer and Information Sciences, General · Bachelor's Degree$74,2184Sociology · Bachelor's Degree$63,4125Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's Degree$62,5886Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General · Bachelor's Degree$56,9537Student Counseling and Personnel Services · Master's Degree$53,6068Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies · Bachelor's Degree$51,789

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

Comparable colleges in WV

Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.

Fairmont, WV

Fairmont State University

Annual net price
$9,032
Observed earnings · year 5
$52,490
Modeled 10-year ROI
-65%
Open college profile →Huntington, WV

Marshall University

Annual net price
$7,502
Observed earnings · year 5
$50,126
Modeled 10-year ROI
-76%
Open college profile →Beckley, WV

West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Annual net price
$9,337
Observed earnings · year 5
$62,396
Modeled 10-year ROI
-20%
Open college profile →Fairmont, WV

Pierpont Community and Technical College

Annual net price
$8,325
Observed earnings · year 5
$47,075
Modeled 10-year ROI
-90%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree$83,114Not available
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingBachelor's Degree$78,764$27,206
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's Degree$74,218$21,830
SociologyBachelor's Degree$63,412$20,030
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's Degree$62,588$18,500
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, GeneralBachelor's Degree$56,953$25,000
Student Counseling and Personnel ServicesMaster's Degree$53,606Not available
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure StudiesBachelor's Degree$51,789$24,950
Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's Degree$50,353$19,558
Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's Degree$50,124$21,500
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's Degree$49,153$29,500
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's Degree$48,992$25,000
Social WorkBachelor's Degree$48,122$27,722
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchBachelor's Degree$46,797$25,000
Psychology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$41,344$22,500
English Language and Literature, GeneralBachelor's Degree$38,581$19,661
Biology, GeneralBachelor's DegreeNot available$21,937

Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.