The study, published by the pioneering accredited online institution, explores financial and non-financial returns, influencing factors, and future trends shaping the value of higher education.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN / ACCESS Newswire / October 30, 2025 / American College of Education (ACE), an accredited, fully online institution dedicated to affordable, high-quality education, has released a new white paper examining the return on investment (ROI) of higher education at a time when rising tuition and student loan debt are causing a re-examination of the value of a college degree.
Founded in 2005, ACE is a national innovator providing quality, affordable and accredited online undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees. It is a top conferrer of education master's and doctoral degrees in the United States.
"Prohibitive costs and mounting debt have completely altered how people perceive the value of higher education," said Geordie Hyland, president and CEO of ACE. "This white paper broadens the conversation to include the full spectrum of value, from professional opportunity to personal development. At ACE, we believe the true return on investment in education goes beyond earnings. By focusing on both outcomes and affordability, we can empower individuals to serve others while advancing themselves, making higher education not just accessible, but transformative."
With tuition costs rising and U.S. student debt quickly approaching $2 trillion, students, families, institutions and policymakers are increasingly asking whether higher education delivers sufficient value. ROI has become a key metric in answering that question, and is central to ACE's principle of placing the student value proposition at the core of higher education.
Notably, a study of ACE graduates' longitudinal earnings by the market analytics firm Lightcast determined the benefit-cost ratio of ACE programs. The study found that ACE students gain $19.20 in cumulative increased future earnings for every $1 paid to ACE, equivalent to a 120.7% annual internal rate of return. It also found that a typical ACE master's graduate earns $16,200 more per year than a bachelor's degree holder.
The ACE white paper, The ROI of Higher Education: Understanding Value in a Shifting Landscape, explores these dimensions in detail. Drawing on national research and ACE's own institutional data, the report outlines critical factors influencing ROI and offers recommendations for how the higher education sector can provide more equitable and informed value to students across diverse backgrounds.
The ACE white paper examines and explains:
The components of ROI and complicating factors in a higher education setting.
Methods for measuring ROI and how to compare metrics across institutions.
Critiques and limitations of using ROI in assessing higher education outcomes, such as quantifying non-monetary benefits, and properly valuing various career paths.
Higher education trends and innovations that are redefining ROI
Significantly, the ACE white paper also provides recommended strategies for promoting both financial and societal ROI from postsecondary education, such as ensuring that institutions prioritize transparency on their outcomes, incentivizing employers to invest in workforce education, and encouraging policymakers to support high-value education pathways for students and workers.
This publication underscores ACE's mission of delivering accessible, cost-effective education that meets the evolving needs of students while contributing to the broader discussion about higher education's value in today's economy.
The full white paper is available for download at www.ace.edu.
About American College of Education
American College of Education (ACE) is an accredited, fully online college specializing in high-quality, affordable programs in education, business, leadership, healthcare and nursing. Headquartered in Indianapolis, ACE offers more than 60 innovative and engaging programs for adult students to pursue a doctorate, specialist, master's or bachelor's degree, along with graduate-level certificate programs.
Media Contact
Darci Hansell, VP Integrated Marketing
800-280-0307
press@ace.edu
SOURCE: American College of Education
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