EDUCATION FINANCE · #96

Adult Learner Degree Completion ROI

37 million Americans have some college and no degree. Model the ROI of completing your bachelor's through adult-friendly programs — online, WGU-style, or part-time evening — factoring in prior credits, employer assistance, and time-to-completion.

📊 BLS OEWS 2024 · NCES IPEDS 2023-24 · Lumina Foundation 2024

Your Starting Point

College credits already earned 120 credits typically needed for a bachelor's degree

Cost per remaining credit hour ($) WGU-style ~$320; CC-to-4yr ~$250; state university ~$400–$700

Current age Used to calculate working years remaining post-completion

Years to completion estimate Part-time: 2–4 yrs; full-time online: 1–2 yrs

Employer Assistance

My employer offers tuition assistance

Annual employer assistance ($) IRS §127 max tax-free benefit: $5,250/yr

Salary & Work Impact

Current annual salary ($) BLS 2024: some-college median ~$58K

Expected salary with degree ($) BLS 2024: bachelor's degree median ~$79K

I'll reduce work hours while completing the degree

Annual income reduction while in school ($) Part-time cut: typically 20–30% of annual salary

Discount rate (%)

Cost Breakdown

BLS 2024 Education-Earnings Reference