Barnard College

New York, NY 3,264 Undergrads 93.2% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$89,538

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$28,800

After Aid

Median Earnings

$72,527

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$28,800

Peer Midpoint: $20,081

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation

$72,527

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment

$80,516

Peer Midpoint: $53,763

Graduation Rate93.2%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age19.3

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients16.9%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time98.9%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS82.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

8.8%

SAT Avg

1,520

SAT Reading

25th: 73074075th: 770

SAT Math

25th: 74074875th: 790

ACT Composite

25th: 323375th: 34

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV

Vs Median Peer

Vs HS Grad

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

+$633k

+$166k

+$149k

Median Cost$29k/yr

+$530k

+$63k

+$45k

Full Cost$90k/yr

+$311k

-$156k

-$173k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$29k/yr

44%

Full Cost$90k/yr

Never

-54%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return-11%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-69%

Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Anthropology

BachCIP: 4502

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$30,771

Natl Median: $46,676

Lifetime Value Added

-$289k

Applied Mathematics

BachCIP: 2703

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $91,532

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Architecture

BachCIP: 0402

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $66,914

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Area Studies

BachCIP: 0501

Median Debt

$19,000

Earnings (4yr)

$66,117

Natl Median: $56,625

Lifetime Value Added

-$4k

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

BachCIP: 2602

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,466

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

$17,520

Earnings (4yr)

$75,696

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

+$69k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Classical and Ancient Studies

BachCIP: 3022

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,477

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1612

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,429

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer and Information Sciences, General

BachCIP: 1101

Median Debt

$19,000

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $92,374

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Dance

BachCIP: 5003

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,980

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,775

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

BachCIP: 2613

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,842

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

$16,250

Earnings (4yr)

$111,909

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

+$345k

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

$18,558

Earnings (4yr)

$61,327

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

-$42k

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

BachCIP: 0502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,710

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Film/Video and Photographic Arts

BachCIP: 5006

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $43,765

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

$18,750

Earnings (2yr)

$41,789

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

-$190k

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

$16,350

Earnings (4yr)

$62,258

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

-$34k

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$14,970

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services

BachCIP: 1601

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,984

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics and Statistics, Other

BachCIP: 2799

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $88,839

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$76,392

Natl Median: $55,693

Lifetime Value Added

+$63k

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Neurobiology and Neurosciences

BachCIP: 2615

Median Debt

$17,491

Earnings (4yr)

$66,787

Natl Median: $62,451

Lifetime Value Added

+$1k

Philosophy

BachCIP: 3801

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,455

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physics

BachCIP: 4008

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $76,786

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

$18,250

Earnings (4yr)

$77,805

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

+$85k

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$72,518

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

+$34k

Public Policy Analysis

BachCIP: 4405

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $73,721

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Religion/Religious Studies

BachCIP: 3802

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,390

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Research and Experimental Psychology

BachCIP: 4227

Median Debt

$17,875

Earnings (4yr)

$65,644

Natl Median: $55,695

Lifetime Value Added

-$8k

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

$14,899

Earnings (4yr)

$77,821

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

+$86k

Statistics

BachCIP: 2705

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $92,425

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Urban Studies/Affairs

BachCIP: 4512

Median Debt

$19,000

Earnings (4yr)

$79,807

Natl Median: $62,532

Lifetime Value Added

+$101k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.