Campbell University ranks eighth out of 56 colleges and universities in North Carolina that offer at least a bachelor’s degree and near the top 20 percent nationally (912th out of 4,500 total schools) in 40-year return on investment (ROI), according to a 2019 study.
The study — performed at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce — considered the “net present value” of a degree, calculated by projecting earnings 40 years after a degree (based on the 10-year earnings) and factoring in the total investment of an education and projected debt calculations. The North Carolina rankings were reported on this week by Stacker, an online news site of research-driven articles.
According to the research, degrees from private nonprofit colleges and universities like Campbell generally have a higher ROI in the long term than public universities. Students, on average, typically take out more in loans to attend private schools, but the median annual earnings 10 years after enrollment are an average of $8,000 higher for graduates of private schools than for graduates of public schools, according to the study.
Over the course of 40 years, even after paying off higher amounts of debt, a private college graduate will reap a long-term net economic gain of $838,000, compared to $765,000 for graduates of public colleges. According to the study, Campbell’s long-term NPV is higher than the national average at $917,000.
The study does not factor graduate degrees.
Campbell Vice President for Advancement Dr. Britt Davis said Campbell’s 50,000-plus alumni can vouch for the University’s high ranking.
“Regardless of the career path — and the majority of our undergraduate students are focused in the health sciences, business, education, engineering, criminal justice and homeland security and pre-law — Campbell University graduates receive tremendous value for their tuition dollars and time on our campus,” Davis said. “We could not be more pleased to be included with this list of outstanding North Carolina colleges and universities.”
Campbell University offers more than 150 majors and minors in its undergraduate programs. The school enrolls more native North Carolinians than any other private university in the state.