How to Use ROEDU®

From score to strategy: using ROEDU in real decisions

ROEDU is designed to do more than label schools or programs with a number. It’s a practical decision tool and one that helps you compare options, understand tradeoffs, and take concrete steps to improve the value of your education.

This guide walks through how to use ROEDU across Tuition Covered, from exploration to action.

Step 1: Start with the ROEDU Score

Every ROEDU score reflects the relationship between cost, earnings potential, time, and risk. Higher scores indicate stronger estimated return relative to investment.

Use the score as a starting point, not a final answer:

• Compare schools, majors, or programs side by side
• Identify options with similar outcomes, but very different costs
• Spot paths that may take longer to pay off

The goal isn’t to chase the highest number, it’s to understand why scores differ.

Step 2: Explore with the College Catalog

The College Catalog lets you search, filter, and sort education options using ROEDU as a lens.

You can:

• Sort colleges and programs by ROEDU score
• Filter by cost, degree type, major, or region
• Compare multiple options at once

This makes it easier to move beyond reputation and see which choices offer the strongest value for your priorities.

Step 3: Look Beneath the Score

Each ROEDU score is driven by underlying factors. Understanding them helps you make smarter tradeoffs:

• Cost: tuition, fees, and time in school
• Time: how long it takes to complete and reach breakeven
• Earnings: expected outcomes based on field and program
• Risk: variability in outcomes across similar paths

Two options with similar scores may arrive there in very different ways. Digging deeper reveals which profile fits you best.

Step 4: Use ROEDU to Lower Costs

One of the most direct ways to improve return is to reduce the cost side of the equation.

Across Tuition Covered, ROEDU helps you identify opportunities to:

• Earn college credits before or during enrollment
• Shorten time to degree completion
• Compare lower-cost pathways with similar outcomes

Lower costs don’t just reduce debt, they often improve ROEDU significantly without sacrificing results.

Step 5: Use ROEDU to Increase Earnings Potential

ROEDU also highlights where outcomes differ meaningfully after graduation.

You can use it to:

• Compare earnings across majors within the same school
• Evaluate programs aligned with high-demand fields
• Assess how degree type or credential level affects return

Small changes in field or program choice can have large effects on long-term outcomes.

Step 6: Compare Pathways, Not Just Schools

ROEDU is most powerful when used to compare paths, not just institutions.

For example:

• A lower-cost school with a strong major vs. a higher-cost alternative
• A shorter pathway vs. a longer, more expensive one
• Different combinations of credits, credentials, and timelines

ROEDU helps make these tradeoffs visible so you can choose intentionally.

Step 7: Use ROEDU as a Planning Tool

ROEDU is not a prediction or a promise; it’s a planning framework.

Use it to:

• Ask better questions
• Narrow your options
• Identify levers you can control (cost, time, field)

The best outcomes come from pairing ROEDU insights with your personal goals, interests, and circumstances.

What RoEDU™ Is and Isn’t

ROEDU is:

• A data-driven way to compare educational value
• A tool for understanding tradeoffs and opportunity cost
• A guide for improving return through smarter choices

ROEDU is not:

• A ranking based on prestige
• A guarantee of earnings
• A replacement for personal judgment

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Putting It All Together

ROEDU works best when used iteratively:

1. Explore options
2. Compare scores
3. Understand drivers
4. Adjust strategy

Tuition Covered brings these steps together in one place, so students and families can move from information to action with confidence.

Better data leads to better decisions. ROEDU helps you make both.