College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Bentley University

Waltham, MA 4,288 Undergrads 89.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$77,082
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$38,787
After Aid
Median Earnings
$120,959
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$38,787
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$120,959
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate89.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients14.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS92.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
48.4%
SAT Avg
1,340
SAT Reading
25th: 62065075th: 690
SAT Math
25th: 63067775th: 720
ACT Composite
25th: 293075th: 32

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
+$966k
+$570k
+$482k
Median Cost$39k/yr
+$827k
+$430k
+$343k
Full Cost$77k/yr
+$689k
+$293k
+$205k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
25
Median Cost$39k/yr
30
245%
Full Cost$77k/yr
37
74%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year 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 Return230%

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 Return3%
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

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$99,268
Lifetime Value Added
+$199k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$94,417
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
BachCIP: 5299
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$109,800
Lifetime Value Added
+$277k
Business/Corporate Communications
BachCIP: 5205
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$87,208
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$95,081
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (5yr)
$116,980
Lifetime Value Added
+$331k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$110,594
Lifetime Value Added
+$283k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$103,187
Lifetime Value Added
+$228k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$104,011
Lifetime Value Added
+$234k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$93,454
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$19,334
Earnings (2yr)
$63,997
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Accounting and Related Services
PB-CertCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$121,021
Lifetime Value Added
+$679k
Finance and Financial Management Services
PB-CertCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$123,384
Lifetime Value Added
+$701k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$115,168
Lifetime Value Added
+$498k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$143,471
Lifetime Value Added
+$738k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
MastCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$78,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$223k
Finance and Financial Management Services
MastCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$143,094
Lifetime Value Added
+$735k
Human Computer Interaction
MastCIP: 3031
Median Debt
$34,068
Earnings (5yr)
$180,058
Lifetime Value Added
+$1048k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
MastCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$31,760
Earnings (5yr)
$116,933
Lifetime Value Added
+$513k
Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$117,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$521k
Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$119,361
Lifetime Value Added
+$534k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, 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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.